The Premier has no shame
Despite a year of extraordinary media releases, statements and policies from Daniel Andrews and his Government, he has possibly left the most audacious and offensive to last.
On Friday, the Premier and his Police Minister Lisa Neville distributed a media release titled ‘All We Want For Christmas Is Safe Roads And Saved Lives’.
The Member for Western Victoria, and Assistant Shadow Minister for Scrutiny of Government, Bev McArthur, said the release was jaw-dropping in its sheer pluck and impertinence.
“I can assure the Premier and the Minister that All Victorians Want Every Day Of The Year Are Safe Roads – Not Just On December 25,” Mrs McArthur said.
“If either the Premier or Ms Neville had dared travel beyond the tram tracks of Melbourne, they would be too embarrassed to put out such rubbish words.
“Regional and country roads have never been worse. And regional Victorians know it.
“I issued a media release just days ago titled When potholes are craters. It wasn’t trying to be clever or funny. It was a serious attempt to describe the state of country roads.
“I suggested that many country roads are almost the sole domain of 4WDs - and cute electric vehicles wouldn’t survive a trip to the country.
“Days later, I received an email from a Tesla-driving constituent travelling in Gippsland, who had literally hit a pothole so bad that it caused “two flat tyres and, as it turned out, two buckled wheels.”
The driver went on to say: “I can vouch for the point you make about tidy little electric cars not coping with hitting potholes…The cost of this incident amounted to $1873.40.”
“Regional Victorians know exactly what I’m talking about. My own car has had three tyre replacements in four months.
“If this issue wasn’t so serious, the Premier’s media release would be significantly funnier than the Christmas bon-bon jokes we’re about to crack.
“This is no joke.”
On the same day it insults regional drivers, the Government announced another $5 billion in total for the West Gate Tunnel project in Melbourne, a project that started at $500 million, went to $5.5 billion, quickly rose to $6.7 billion and now sits beyond $10.6 billion. To intensify motorists’ pain, the tunnel is two years behind schedule.
The state now has a $19.5 billion budget deficit. Net debt will balloon to $162 billion by 2025.
“Over time and over budget. Standard ALP operating procedure,” Mrs McArthur said.
“But money for Melbourne? Easy. Cash for the country? Forget it.
“What’s also shameful about the Premier’s `All We Want For Christmas Is Safe Roads’ release, is that it puts the entire blame for accidents and road fatalities directly on Victorians by urging them to ‘stay safe and drive sensibly’.
“The Premier needs to get this very clear: Victorians want nothing more than to stay safe on our roads. They have no option but to drive sensibly. They’re forced to slow to 40kms/hr on 100 kms/hr roads.
“It is not their fault that the roads are so bad that they cause accidents.
“Shame on this Premier and his gutless Government.
“Shame.”
19 December 2021