Media Release

The Hon Andrew Robb AO MP

Shadow Minister for Finance and Debt Reduction
Federal Member for Goldstein

Friday, 13 August 2010

CONFIRMED: STATE LABOR DOESNT HAVE THE CASH FOR

PARRAMATTA-EPPING LINK
Revelations today that a $520 million hole has emerged in Labor’s plan to build the
long awaited Parramatta-Epping link confirms Julia Gillard’s rail pledge is nothing
more than Labor pre election spin and will never be delivered.

The toxic State Labor Government doesn’t have the money required to commence
the works.

A Department of Transport spokesperson told the ABC today that the $520 million
would come from existing transport funding under the State’s Metropolitan
Transport Plan.

This Plan is already fully subscribed – meaning either State Labor will have to cut
one of three existing projects to fund the new rail link like the South West link,
the North West Link, or the Western express link - more likely, the Paramatta-
Epping Link simply won’t get built.

Julia Gillard’s rail pledge is nothing more than desperate pork barrelling.

This follows revelations that the so-called plan was put together on the back of an
envelope just a few days ago, without the knowledge of Minister Albanese’s own
Department Head.

Yesterday, the Coalition also revealed that the NSW State Transport Minister said
the Parramatta-Epping link is not a project on their 10-year horizon.

Mark Arbib and the faceless men of the NSW Labor party have infected the Gillard
Government with their incompetence.

Labor just can’t be trusted to deliver.

Media Contact: Cameron Hill, 0408 239 521

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