Analysis of tonight’s federal budget reveals the Morrison Government is targeting marginal seats over key infrastructure priorities.
According to The Guardian, only 21 of 144 projects announced so far in the budget have been endorsed as priorities by Infrastructure Australia (IA):
- Of $16 billion in funding, around $10 billion has been committed for projects not recommended by IA.
- Of the $6.4 billion that has been allocated to projects within a single electorate, more than half is directed to marginal seats.
- Meanwhile, Victoria’s Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, has accused the Morrison Government of short-changing Victoria, claiming $2 billion of the state’s $3.3 billion in projects were announced a year ago.
- When asked whether the Government is targeting marginal seats, Prime Minister Scott Morrison replied “it’s targeting the strength of our economy because that’s what Australians need”. Whereas a spokesperson for deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said “inclusion on Infrastructure Australia’s priority list isn’t a precondition for federal funding”.
