Environment Minister, Steve Dimopoulos, has failed to provide any detail on where the $13.15 million has gone – a large portion of which was to deliver a shared pathway between Marlo and Cape Conran, a project that is now not being delivered.
Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, asked in Parliament for full details of where the money has gone, stating:
“The community thought that the money was signed, sealed and delivered. Amongst the information they want to know is why it has been cancelled and where the $13.15 million has gone,” Mr Bull said.
Mr Bull said the path should be delivered as promised, but if not, the funds should be redirected into other projects in the area. However, in his response, Mr Dimopoulos did not answer the question.
“The response advised of other projects in the region as part of the bushfires rebuild and, in relation to the bike path, simply said ‘Parks Victoria has determined the delivery of the shared-use path is not technically or economically feasible’.
“This is not good enough. The technical work should have been done before it was announced, as well as the costings,” Mr Bull said.
“Most importantly, there is absolutely no reference to where the money has gone”.
Mr Bull also said the Minister’s claim that Parks Victoria had engaged with
the community about the changes lacked detail.
“To what level this occurred, who knows, but the problem is he hasn’t answered the one question the community wants to know – where has the money gone?” he said.
“It should be redirected into other projects for the benefit of the local community so the promised funds are not lost to the region.”
