Today in Parliament, the Andrews Labor Government has refused to state the cost-benefit ratio of its botched and blown out West Gate Tunnel.
In November 2019, following a total project cost blowout to $6.2 billion, the Victorian Auditor-General found that the cost-benefit ratio of the West Gate Tunnel had fallen to only 1 – meaning that for every dollar of taxpayer money spent, the community would receive one dollar of benefit.
With the 2022/23 Budget now confirming that the total cost has blown out to $10.2 billion, the cost-benefit ratio must now be well below 1.
Despite repeatedly stating the need to build infrastructure that “stacks up”, the Andrews Government today refused to reveal the current cost-benefit ratio of this botched project, despite being asked multiple times.
Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Matt Bach, said that Labor’s waste and mismanagement continued to see Victoria fall further behind.
“Throwing away even more money on Labor’s Big Bill is not the way to recover and rebuild,” Mr Bach said.
“Every dollar wasted on Labor’s botched projects is one fewer to fix the health crisis.
“Daniel Andrews needs to come clean on the true cost of his botched West Gate Tunnel, which is costing more and leaving commuters stuck in traffic for longer.”
