The potential investigation of two of the Albanese Labor Government’s grant programs by the Auditor-General obliges the Government to rescue key Mallee projects in Labor’s 90 day Infrastructure Pipeline review firing line, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) Works Program of performance audits for 2023-24 includes a review of round 6 of the Mobile Black Spot Program, with the Auditor-General also considering probing Labor’s Community Batteries Program – both pre-election commitments for the Government.

“Labor has funded their promises while putting previously funded projects on the chopping block,” Dr Webster said, “The people of Swan Hill are still waiting for their new bridge, one the Coalition government had funded to the tune of $60 million. The people of the Wimmera are still waiting for the duplication of the Western Highway between Ararat and Stawell, and the Horsham Roundabout and road improvements into Mildura, Robinvale and elsewhere are left in limbo.”.”

Of the 54 selected locations to receive funding under Round 6 of the Mobile Black Spot program, 74 per cent were in Labor electorates nationwide, rising to 100 per cent in New South Wales and Victoria.

Of the 58 chosen suburbs for Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s battery program, 40 per cent were in marginal electorates (19 per cent Labor marginal seats and 21 per cent Coalition marginal seats), while 34 per cent were in fairly safe or safe Labor seats and 24 per cent in fairly safe or safe Coalition electorates.

“Labor has continued to delay critical infrastructure to Mallee and regional voters that typically shun them at the ballot box, while sweetening the deal for electorates they hold or hope to hold,” Dr Webster said, “The least Labor can do to restore equity and confidence in the public purse is to issue a stay of execution on these Mallee projects.”

Incidentally, Round 6 of the Mobile Black Spot Program only granted funding to areas Labor committed to during the May 2022 election campaign. Similarly, Labor also ran a Priority Community Infrastructure Program specifically to fund election commitments.

The ANAO audit program also reveals that Labor’s replacement for the Coalition’s successful regions-boosting Building Better Regions Fund, split into Growing Regions and Precincts & Partnerships Programs, is also a potential audit target.

Mallee projects subject to the 90 day review are:

• The Swan Hill Bridge
• The Green Triangle (Incorporating the Henty Highway from Horsham to Victoria’s Southern ports)
• Sunraysia Highway Ballarat to Ouyen – Future Priorities
• Murray Valley Highway Echuca to Robinvale – Future Priorities
• Calder Highway Melbourne to Mildura- Future Priorities
• Calder Highway Melbourne to Mildura – Overtaking Lanes
• Western Highway Stawell to South Australian Border – Future Priorities
• Western Highway Stawell to South Australian Border – Horsham Junction Upgrade
• Western Highway Stawell to South Australian Border – Seaby Street Intersection Upgrade
• Western Highway – Complete the Duplication Between Ararat and Stawell