Member for Northern Metropolitan and leader of the Australian Sex Party, Fiona Patten MLC, has today welcomed the establishment of a $200 million Agriculture Infrastructure and Jobs Fund for Regional Victoria saying “it’s only right that country areas should benefit from the Port of Melbourne Lease.”
“A $200 million investment in Victoria’s regional economy is nothing to sneeze at,” said Ms Patten. “It could be more in my opinion but it’s certainly a good start.”
“This should put to rest any fears from the regional people I spoke to, including the Farmers Federation, that those in the country weren’t seeing benefit from of the lease of the Port of Melbourne. I would have thought my colleagues from the Liberals, and especially the Nationals, would now support the government’s legislation to move forward with the lease given it was also the policy they went to the election with.
“If Mr Guy and the Coalition continue to oppose the lease in light of this significant investment they will just be playing politics,” she said.
“The agriculture sector plays a key role in our export industry, and through it the Port of Melbourne, so it is only fitting a package such as this is included as part of the lease arrangements so the sector can get on with the job of continuing to make Victoria the envy of all the states economies.”
She said it was a key plank of the government’s economic policy and one that she believed the Premier had a mandate to enact.
“I call on my cross-bench colleagues to also support this investment and do what is in the best interest of Victorian’s and allow the government get on with governing.”
