The Andrews Labor Government is acting as a roadblock to private development in regional Victoria.
Planning Minister Richard Wynne announced today he will use his ministerial power to fast-track private building approvals, but just $127 million of the $933 million in projects approved are outside the city.
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Regional Victoria Peter Walsh said tangled red and green tape under the Andrews Labor Government was making it too difficult for people to develop in regional Victoria.
“The Minister’s trying to make a hero of himself while regional Victoria suffers,” Mr Walsh said.
“Regional Victoria is bleeding jobs and investment with the ongoing lockdowns – all because of the Andrews Labor Government’s failures in Melbourne.
“If the Andrews Labor Government genuinely wants to reboot regional Victoria, it will reduce red and green tape and pave the way for new projects to get off the ground.”
Criteria to qualify projects to be fast-tracked includes ‘how well they align with Victorian Government policy’.
Mr Walsh said developing regional Victoria doesn’t appear to be part of that policy agenda.
“Daniel Andrews let outbreaks in hotel quarantine in the city get out of control, forcing country communities into further lockdowns and slamming our borders with New South Wales and South Australia shut,” Mr Walsh said.
“We need to find new ways to inject life into local job and business opportunities and to kickstart our regional economies, but it’s clear city-centric Labor is only concerned with keeping votes in the city.”
Media contact: Emma Manser 0437 225 386 emma.manser@opposition.vic.gov.au
