“Labor should tell the public which of the projects the Australia Government is funding (that) it does not support,” the spokesman said. “It proves Labor just doesn’t understand the economy — the Liberal-Nationals Government is investing in our roads to ensure the future prosperity of Australia and to keep our economy strong.”

The approved project was in the Liberal-held seat of Wannon, not in the Labor electorate of Ballarat. “Two were risk roads according to Vic Roads — ones of high incidents of traffic issues and accidents,” Mr [David Vendy] said. “You’d wonder whether it has something to do with the Labor electorate.”

“I think the fact that it’s a Labor seat has a lot to do with it. It’s one of the most dangerous roads in Logan. It’s a boundary round between Brisbane and Logan city. We’ve asked before and keep getting knocked back.”

Patricia Karvelas

John Stapleton

CRUMBLING roads in marginal Coalition electorates will be showered with cash in the lead-up to the election under a program personally overseen by two senior Howard government ministers.

Labor yesterday accused the Government of pre-election pork- barrelling after Nationals leader Mark Vaile and Roads Minister Jim Lloyd used a discretionary fund to target predominantly Coalition- held and marginal seats.

Of 89 road grants worth $250 million revealed in the Senate yesterday, 78 are in government or independent electorates. Only 11 are in Labor seats — most of them marginal.

And some of the country’s bellwether electoral seats have been lavished with cash.

The crucial NSW seat of Eden-Monaro, held by the Liberals by 3.3 per cent, will receive $17.6 million. In every election since 1972, the party that haswon Eden-Monaro has also won government.

Stirling in Western Australia (Lib, 2.1per cent) will receive $10 million and Cowan (ALP, 0.8 per cent) $1 million.

In South Australia, Makin (Lib, 1 per cent) receives $1 million, Wakefield (Lib, 0.7 per cent) $10.3 million, and Kingston (Lib, 0.1 per cent) $400,000.

A total of 22 Liberal electorates were given $119.32 million for 44 projects, sixNationals electorates received $57.24million for 23 projects and seven Labor seats were awarded $28 million for 11 projects.

Three independent electorates — Calare, Kennedy and New England – – all keenly sought by the Government, received $16.61 million for five projects.

Among them are three projects in John Howard’s own marginal Sydney electorate of Bennelong, where the Prime Minister faces a tough election challenge from Labor star candidate and former journalist Maxine McKew.

The plans involve spending $1 million on roads in Bennelong, including $509,000 to upgrade busy Balaclava Road in Eastwood, $280,000 on Wicks Road in North Ryde and $239,000 on Coxs Road, also in North Ryde.

But they were met with scepticism from locals.

“I would say Howard is just doing it to get re-elected,” said mother Andrea Balogh from North Ryde as she helped her daughter Olivia cross Coxs Road.

“The road looks OK. Look at it, there’s nothing wrong with it. There are plenty of other places to spend the money — we need more playgrounds, more areas where kids can play.”

Labor claimed yesterday that some councils in the 39 electorates provided funding did not even apply for grants or had asked for them to be spent differently.

Labor transport spokesman Martin Ferguson said the program was a repeat of the “blatant pork-barrelling” before

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the 2004 election, when the Government announced $93 million in roads projects without undertaking proper approval processes. But a spokesman for Mr Vaile, who is also federal Transport Minister, said the allocation process was completely transparent.

“Labor should tell the public which of the projects the Australia Government is funding (that) it does not support,” the spokesman said. “It proves Labor just doesn’t understand the economy — the Liberal-Nationals Government is investing in our roads to ensure the future prosperity of Australia and to keep our economy strong.”

But Ballarat Mayor David Vendy questioned whether the funding had to do with politics.

His council submitted five funding applications. One was approved and four were rejected.

The approved project was in the Liberal-held seat of Wannon, not in the Labor electorate of Ballarat. “Two were risk roads according to Vic Roads — ones of high incidents of traffic issues and accidents,” Mr Vendy said. “You’d wonder whether it has something to do with the Labor electorate.”

Graham Able, Mayor of Logan, south of Brisbane, said he had applied for funding for a dangerous road but had been rejected. “It’s pork barrelling for marginal seats and once again Logan misses out,” he said.

“I think the fact that it’s a Labor seat has a lot to do with it. It’s one of the most dangerous roads in Logan. It’s a boundary round between Brisbane and Logan city. We’ve asked before and keep getting knocked back.”

Labor frontbencher Kerry O’Brien said the City of Stirling in Perth had applied for funding for the Alexander Drive-Reid Highway intersection, which is one of the most dangerous in Western Australia. The intersection is on the boundary of federal Liberal and Labor electorates.

But the less-dangerous intersection of Mirrabooka Avenue and Reid Highway, about 3km inside the eastern boundary of the marginal Liberal seat of Stirling, has received funding.

Motoring associations welcomed the grants but questioned the rationale behind the allocations, drawn from a budget promise of $250 million in strategic roads funding for local councils. Australian Automobile Association research and policy director John Metcalfe said the Government had not been transparent.

See the full project list at theaustralian.com.au