Herald Sun: Government scraps road body Linking Melbourne Authority. 7 January 2015
THE Victorian Government has abolished the Linking Melbourne Authority, the agency that oversaw the construction of EastLink and Peninsula Link and was in charge of the scrapped East West Link.
It is understood Treasurer and acting roads minister Tim Pallas sent a letter to LMA chiefs today advising the authority would be abolished.
About 60 staff employed at the agency would be offered redeployment within the Victorian public service if they wished.
Just last month Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the authority would be kept, despite not having any major projects to oversee.
LMA was established on 1 July 2010, by the Bracks Government, with the sole task to oversee complex road projects on behalf of the Government.
It managed East Link and Peninsula Link and all of the preliminary work for the East West Link before it was scrapped.
Opposition roads spokesman Ryan Smith said the Government needed to explain what road project the Government had and who would oversee them now.
“This is clear evidence that Daniel Andrews has no major shovel-ready road projects,” Mr Smith said.
“With Melbourne growing by 80,000 people per year it is an indictment on this government that they have no plans to cater for this growth.”
Mr Smith also asked who would manage the West Gate Distributor project, a $500 million road link between the Port and the West Gate Freeway.
The Government had promised to seek expressions of interest for the distributor before Australia Day and promised it was “shovel ready” during the election campaign.
michelle.ainsworth@news.com.au
