Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, today called on John Cobb and Tony Abbott to come clean about the amount of Federal roads money their party will rip away from local councils in a desperate attempt to fund a road upgrade in the Shadow Finance Minister Andrew Robb’s home state of Victoria.

Mr Albanese said Mr Robb has admitted the Liberal and National parties would pillage the Rudd Labor Government’s $1.75 billion Roads to Recovery program – an initiative that helps councils and shires maintain their local roads – to fund their promise to duplicate the Princes Highway west of Melbourne.

“When asked last week how the Federal Coalition planned to fund this promise, Mr Robb told two local media outlets that the money would come out of the Roads to Recovery budget,” said Mr Albanese.

“Despite having numerous opportunities to do so, Mr Robb hasn’t sought to correct or retract this revelation, which I first raised in the Parliament last Thursday. His silence speaks for itself.

“This is an alarming new development, yet further proof Tony Abbott is a real risk to local government funding as well as the quality and safety of our local roads.

“I call on John Cobb to tell us how much our local councils will lose to pay for their unfunded promises. The communities they serve have a right to know.”

Between 2009-10 and 2013-14 local councils are due to receive the following amounts under the Rudd Labor Government’s Roads to Recovery program:

• Bathurst Regional Council $4,287,219


• Blayney Shire Council $1,861,033


• Boorowra Council $1,513,773


• Cabonne Shire Council $4,651,309


• Cowra Shire Council $3,244,278


• Forbes Shire Council $4,465,120


• Harden Shire Council $1,899,012


• Lachlan Shire Council $7,750,955


• Lithgow City Council $2,801,687


• Oberon Council $2,268,333


• Orange City Council $2,338,036


• Parkes Shire Council $4,411,930


• Upper Lachlan Shire $4,118,576


• Weddin Shire Council $2,254,381


• Wellington Council $2,742,755


• Shire of Young $2,893,981


• Total: $53,502,378