The true extent of the rort that is Daniel Andrews’ Latrobe Valley Authority has been exposed this week, after it was revealed the entire State Budget funding allocation for the LVA will be spent on staff and wages.
Under questioning from The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, in the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee yesterday, the Minister for Regional Development confirmed the whole $7.2 million allocated to the LVA would be spent paying the wages of its 32 full-time staff.
When pushed on whether there was any grant funding left in the LVA at all, the Minister refused to provide a direct answer and simply said: “there are other grants available”.
The Nationals Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, said Latrobe Valley residents were once again being ripped off by Labor’s incompetence and its complete contempt for regional Victoria.
“In a gross misuse of taxpayer funds, Daniel Andrews has splashed the entire $7.2 million allocated to the LVA on staff wages while neglecting to spend a single cent on doing what matters,” Mr Cameron said.
“This proves the Latrobe Valley Authority is nothing but a glorified shop front set-up by Labor to give the illusion they care about the Latrobe Valley and its future, when nothing could be further from the truth.
“The LVA was meant to help the Valley deal with the economic fallout of the closure of Hazelwood, but we have seen very little in the way of deliverables or evidence to suggest it has helped in any way.
“I’m sure the Andrews Labor Government was hoping it could just shut up shop at the LVA, but I for one won’t sit idly by and watch this government dish out another blow to the Latrobe Valley.
“Daniel Andrews has killed off Maryvale’s white paper production and hundreds of jobs with it; he has failed to deliver on major promises including the electric vehicle manufacturing plant and food manufacturing precinct; he has shut down the timber industry; and now he is lining the pockets of office staff with money that should be spent on ensuring the Latrobe Valley can grow and prosper.
“The Labor Government’s ill-conceived and vague plan for helping the Latrobe Valley transition is an absolute sham, and at a time when the region needs real support, we instead have a government that is all smoke and mirrors and no substance.”
