Geelong businessman Danny Papas at an accident black spot in High St, Belmont. Picture: Cormac Hanrahan Source: Herald Sun
EXCLUSIVE: VICTORIA will receive $525 million in tomorrow's Federal Budget to help finish the vital upgrade of the M80 Ring Road and $14 million will be spent to fix 63 of the state's worst road accident black spots.
There is unlikely to be any new federal money for the East West Link but the Metro rail tunnel project looks set to receive support.
Despite the Budget dishing out pain by dumping a boost in family payments and increasing the Medicare levy, there will be a $300 million increase to income support payments that gives more to people on Newstart who study or work, but no blanket increase in unemployment benefits.
There will also be an $18.5 million boost for prostate cancer research, including $6.2 million for the Epworth Hospital.
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Treasurer Wayne Swan's sixth Budget will provide money for the final stage of the M80 upgrade to widen the remaining 38km to a minimum of three lanes in both directions.
It will also help pay to install technology to manage traffic flows and ease congestion along the entire freeway.
The new money is on top of $900 million already spent by the Federal Government on the M80.
The cash for black spots will target high-accident zones where there have been 317 crashes causing injury and seven deaths over the past five years.
It includes one of the state's worst accident black spots at High St in Belmont, where there have been 30 crashes causing injury and one fatality.
Full list: Black spot upgrades
Belmont's Fish and Chips on High Street manager Danny Papas said there was probably an accident on the thoroughfare twice a month. He welcomed the funding.
"What would be handy, because there are a lot of senior citizens living in this area, would be another pedestrian crossing," he said.
Other deadly intersections include Henty St in Pakenham, Old Melbourne Rd in Lara, Commercial Rd in Morwell, Benetook Ave in Mildura, Three Chain Rd in Newham and Fogartys Gap Rd in Walmer.
High-accident areas receiving cash include Mill Park, Carlton, Canterbury, Elsternwick, Thomastown, Yarraville, Berwick, Camberwell, St Albans, Footscray and the CBD.
Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the black spot funding would make local roads safer.
While the Government is under pressure for breaking a string of promises including the pledge to have a surplus "come hell or high water", Mr Swan said the Budget would be making the big investments needed for the future.
Mr Swan is set to hand down his sixth consecutive deficit. He said the Budget would explain that an "unprecedented" $17 billion shortfall in predicted tax revenue and the high dollar were to blame, but the Government had chosen not to slash and burn and put jobs and growth at risk.
He said it was "the responsible course", but he expected to suffer political pain.
"I'll take my medicine, I'll accept that the politics of this are very uncomfortable," he told Channel 9's Today on Sunday.
"But getting the big economic decisions right to support Australian jobs is what people expect of me."
He rejected suggestions it will be his last Budget, saying "I believe we will win the election".
Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey said: "Whatever Wayne Swan says on Tuesday night, do not believe him."
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