Elsie Lange
The major parties have promised hundreds of millions more in the marginal seat of McEwen than in neighbouring Hawke and Bendigo combined during the election campaign, a Star Weekly tally has revealed.
Star Weekly found a combined total of at least $2.1 billion has been pledged by the major parties in McEwen as of last week, which is tipped to go down to the wire on election night as the Liberals try to claim the seat from Labor.
But in the safe Labor seat of Bendigo, with an 8.9 per cent margin, and notionally safe seat of Hawke, on a 10.2 per cent margin favouring Labor, only $3 million and $10.7 million have been promised by both major parties.
In McEwen, the Liberal party has committed at least $1.9 billion, including the $1.6 billion Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal and $280 million on the Camerons Lane Interchange in Beveridge, $15 million for the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct (MRRSP), $8.5 million on Macedon Ranges roads and $8 million for the Greenhill Sports Precinct.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited Beveridge on Friday, May 13 to campaign alongside Liberal candidate Richard Welch.
Labor has pledged spending of at least $165 million on five projects, including $150 million on Cameron’s Lane Interchange, $15 million on the MRRSP and $1.5 million to address mobile blackspots.
Star Weekly has included funding from the most recent federal budget that has become an election issue. This includes the $1.62 billion Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal in McEwen, which the Liberals are campaigning on at the election and Labor is yet to back, and some mental health commitments spruiked during the campaign.
Without these budget commitments, that would still mean a total of $183 million pledged by the major parties in the seat.
In Bendigo, Labor’s Lisa Chesters has promised a total of at least $3 million in projects in the lead up to the election, including $1 million to upgrade facilities at North Bendigo Recreation Reserve, $920,000 for domestic violence crisis accommodation and $500,000 for the Golden Square Football Netball Club.
Of the $10.7 million promised by Labor in Hawke, $10 million is pledged to upgrade the Western Highway, $250,000 to upgrade Ligar Street in Sunbury and $400,000 for Federation Park in Darley.
Some commitments don’t come with a dollar figure, such as the promise of one of Labor’s Urgent Care Clinics in Sunbury, which are set to share in $135 million. Including this announcement could be expected to add a few million dollars to the tally in Hawke.
Star Weekly could not find evidence of election promises made by Liberal candidates in Bendigo and Hawke.
