MARK COLVIN: Two opposing plans for easing Melbourne's traffic problems are shaping up as a key issue at the Federal Election.
The Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says senior people at Infrastructure Australia have assured him that Melbourne's controversial East West road link is the most important, most urgent road project in Victoria.
He says if Victorians want to end traffic deadlock in Melbourne they should vote for the Coalition and its promise of $1.5 billion dollars for the project.
But on its website, Infrastructure Australia lists other roads and a rail project well ahead of the East West Road Link.
Labor is backing the Metro Rail Tunnel.
The Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese says Infrastructure Australia hasn't yet assessed the East West Road Link.
Alison Caldwell reports.
ALISON CALDWELL: Construction of the new East West road link is expected to start at the end of next year around the time of the next state election. Spanning 18 kilometres, the road will join Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs with the inner west, with a tunnel running across the inner north.
The project will directly affect suburbs held by Labor or the Greens.
The Coalition has pledged $1.5 billion to East West Link if it wins the Federal Election. The Rudd Government hasn't pledged anything.
Speaking in Melbourne today, Opposition leader Tony Abbott said voters had a clear choice at the next election.
TONY ABBOTT: I will build the East West Link in conjunction with Dennis Napthine; Kevin Rudd will stop the East West Link. It's as simple as that.
ALISON CALDWELL: Last month the Napthine Government released a summary of the business case for the East West Link which claims a cost benefit ratio of $1.40 to one.
The Federal Government is yet to commit to the East West project. It's already pledged $3 billion for the Metro Rail tunnel, linking the inner west and Melbourne's inner east.
Citing advice from Infrastructure Australia, Tony Abbott says the East West road link is the preferred project.
TONY ABBOTT: I'm not going to verbal people because that's not my style. But I have had assurances from senior people in Infrastructure Australia that this does stack up, that it is the most important, the most urgent, and the most necessary road project in Victoria.
ALISON CALDWELL: The Coalition won't pledge any money to the $9 billion Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel. Mr Abbott says rail projects are state issues.
And he痴 admitted he's yet to see the business case for the East West road link project.
TONY ABBOTT: There are lots of things that I haven't seen but I know, and I know that there is a business case for the East West Link. It says that there's a $1.40 worth of benefit for every dollar of spending. That's why the East West Link will go ahead under the Coalition; it won't go ahead under Mr Rudd.
ALISON CALDWELL: Infrastructure Australia wouldn't comment. In a letter to COAG in June, it lists the East West Link as a "real priority" for Victoria. Ahead of that though, it lists the M80 Western Ring Road extension, which is already underway, and the Metro Rail Tunnel as "threshold" projects.
In its assessment brief of the Metro Rail Tunnel, it says the total cost benefit ratio is $1.17 to one, a better cost benefit ratio than the East West Link at $1.40 to one.
Infrastructure Australia is yet to provide an assessment brief for the East West road Link.
Anthony Albanese is the Federal Infrastructure Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Infrastructure Australia publish their recommendations online; they're there for everyone to see, and Infrastructure Australia have required further information from the Victorian Government on the East West project that is in the early stage of development.
Tony Abbott just makes things up as he goes along.
ALISON CALDWELL: But the Opposition says, I mean as much as you talk about a need for a cost benefit analysis, you actually yourselves didn't do a cost benefit analysis of the NBN.
ANTHONY ALBANESE: The fact is, the NBN was the first project recommended by Infrastructure Australia as one of the seven major themes of Infrastructure Australia.
We know that the benefit of Infrastructure - of the National Broadband Network is only limited by our imagination.
ALISON CALDWELL: Will Labor fund the East West road Link?
ANTHONY ALBANESE: Well we haven't said that we won't. What we've said is that we will do a proper analysis through Infrastructure Australia, and indeed the Victorian Treasurer confirmed only yesterday that they were working with Infrastructure Australia.
What we wouldn稚 do though, is commit funding without the proper business case being there. What we have said also is that we will provide funding for the Melbourne metro project.
ALISON CALDWELL: Yesterday State Labor announced it would oppose the East West road Link. In response the Napthine Government said it would aim to sign contracts with business partners by September next year.
MARK COLVIN: Alison Caldwell.
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