Victorians continue to pay for the incompetence of the Allan Government with confirmation today that the cost of the North-East Link has blown out to at least $26.1 billion.
The further blowout, worth $8.1 billion, would be enough to pay for 86,000 maternity nurses, 118,000 teachers, 40,500 ambulances or 54,000 mental health practitioners.
The North-East Link has gone from $5 billion in early 2016, to a stated $10 billion in late 2016, to $15.4 billion in the May 2023 budget to at least $26.1 billion today.
Under Jacinta Allan, major projects have now blown out by a total of at least $38.8 billion, including $4.7 billion on the West Gate Tunnel, $3.36 billion on the Metro Tunnel and at least $3.3 billion on level crossings.
Shadow Minister for Major Projects, David Southwick, said: “Under Premier Jacinta Allan things have gone from bad to worse.
“She is renowned for her cost blowouts, but the scale of this latest blowout should shock all Victorians.
“Every Victorian is paying the price for Jacinta Allan’s gross mismanagement which has sent Victoria broke and means more debt and higher taxes for years to come.
“This project has blown out by more than $1 billion a month since a cost update was provided in the May budget. The scale of this blowout demonstrates that Labor’s major project budget figures can no longer be believed.”
