The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says the Allan Labor government has clearly designated Echuca as its V/Line graveyard.
Mr Walsh says the government has now chosen Echuca as a dumping ground for carriages it obviously doesn’t want but just as obviously has no idea what to do with them.
He says he has twice raised the matter in Parliament, he has written to Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams, and raised it on social media and issued media releases.
“But after I first raised the problem, when dumped carriages became a magnet for vandals and squatters, and the surrounds were just as quickly littered with smashed glass, torn-out seats and drug paraphernalia, the government response was to dump a second load of carriages in Echuca,” Mr Walsh explains.
“And this time, they were dumped smack in the middle of the station just in case people had not seen the first mess,” he says.
“Months later and they are still there. They are an incredible eyesore and should not become any part of the local landscape.
“None of which could come at a worse time as a community-driven proposal to restore the station’s magnificent old locomotive shed and turn it into an asset for Echuca and Moama has a major launched planned for this weekend.”
Mr Walsh says if the people of Echuca ever wondered what Premier Allan and her citycentric government thought about them – they’ve probably got the message now.
Loud and clear.
“And now we are just waiting for the real boom to be lowered on all regional Victoria – with the all-but-bankrupt Allan government pouring billions into its union ruled, botched big build and cutting massive spending out of regional health to pay the bills,” Mr Walsh says.
“Communities across my electorate and across the whole state have fought to keep their hospitals open, keep them local and have put their money where their mouths are to achieve that,” he says.
“Just look at the $3 million cash injection of Make Your Mark – the Echuca community dig deep to make sure its new hospital lacked for nothing. Now the hospital faces a Labor razor gang ripping every cent it can out of the operation.
“It is an incredibly flawed strategy and it is playing with people’s lives.”
Mr Walsh says this government clearly doesn’t give most of regional Victoria a second thought, other than ranking it as a place where problems can be shunted.
“Out of sight and out of mind, this Premier, like the one before her, doesn’t give a damn. Sure, there are a few scraps thrown about, but overall we are right at the bottom of the barrel and certain to stay there while this government stays in office.”
CAPTION:
Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, standing alongside some of the extensive damage caused to abandoned railways carriages in Echuca.