Posted on: 26 October 2022
Labor’s Federal Budget is a big blow to South Australians with the cost of living crisis to get worse and significant question marks about the future of the final stage of the North-South Corridor.
Families, households and businesses will all be worse off as the Budget revealed further expected increases to inflation headlined by power prices skyrocketing by more than 50 per cent and no immediate cost of living relief.
Labor has also failed to provide South Australians with much needed clarity over the final stage of the North-South Corridor, with no commitment or new funding for the project that’s been plagued by huge delays and potential cost blowouts on Peter Malinauskas’ watch.
In fact, the most important infrastructure project in the state’s history doesn’t even appear in any of Federal Labor’s Budget papers.
Just $4.9 billion dollars has been set aside for the major project leading to serious concerns over how it will be completed with the final design now rumoured to cost as much as $15 billion.
The former Liberal Government secured a Federal commitment to a 50:50 share of the construction cost, but there’s huge uncertainty over who will cough up for the multi-billion dollar shortfall under Labor.
Shadow Treasurer Matt Cowdrey said Peter Malinauskas and his State Labor Government has failed South Australians.
“It was Peter Malinauskas’ job to stand up for South Australians, but he’s failed spectacularly,” Mr Cowdrey said.
“South Australians would be left feeling short-changed with State and Federal Labor waiving the white flag when it comes to the cost of living crisis which is only expected to get worse.
“Federal Labor promised cheaper energy, but their own Budget papers reveal prices are set to explode over the next two years, with electricity predicted to skyrocket by more 50 per cent over the next two years.
“This Budget was a prime opportunity for certainty over the North-South Corridor project, but it’s achieved the exact opposite with huge questions looming over who will cough up the billions needed for its completion.
“State Labor’s already conceded they can’t finish this project alone so it’s a huge worry Peter Malinauskas hasn’t been able to get his mates in Canberra to come to the table.
“Peter Malinauskas should have fought harder for South Australians, because what his Federal Labor colleagues have delivered is quite frankly a kick in the guts.”