Tehan "appalled" after government reveals $40 million cut from south-west road funding

"It's gut-wrenching," Mr Tehan said.

"I say to Anthony Albanese and Catherine King - get out of your planes and come and drive on these roads.

"They drive on city roads and fly all round the country and overseas, while we have no option but to drive on our roads, which are in desperate need of repair."

Mr Tehan revealed to The Standard last week the federal government had cut funding previously allocated to upgrade south-west roads, including the Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Port Fairy.

The opposition discovered Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) funding for the region had been reduced.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack visited Warrnambool in March 2019 to announce the funding.

In total, there was $80 million committed to the roads, with the state government asked to chip in 20 per cent of the funds.

"I'm staggered that more than half of the funding has been cut," Mr Tehan said.

"My greatest fear - now that we have Daniel Andrews back in Victoria and Anthony Albanese in Canberra - is that they will turn their back on rural Victoria and punish us.

"I know how much our communities need this funding.

"Every day they drive on roads worrying about damage to their cars and their safety.

"It beggars belief."

A federal government spokeswoman told The Standard no funding had been removed from active Roads of Strategic Importance projects.

"Through the October federal budget, $189 million of unallocated funding was returned to budget from Victorian ROSI corridors, including $41.3 million for the ROSI Green Triangle corridor," the spokeswoman said.

"There were no decisions of the previous government taken that would mean projects were committed to under that unallocated funding.

"If Coalition MPs are now saying those specific projects (under 'future priorities') had been funded, they should provide evidence to back their claims."

The Standard asked the federal government how much of the $80 million committed had already been spent on south-west roads.

However, no response to this question was provided.

"The Australian Government is delivering Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) projects to the value of $461.4 million across Victoria," the federal government spokeswoman said.

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