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$50m more for pipeline
4 Aug 2004
The Victorian Government is set to deliver an additional $50 million to the Wimmera-Mallee pipeline project. This will bring its total commitment to $127 million.
The $501 million project will pipe western Victoria's leaky Wimmera Mallee channel system to deliver water to 5,500 farmers and 50,000 townspeople. But its completion depends on the Federal Government matching state funding, and so far it has refused to contribute.
Pipeline project Community Steering Group members welcomed the Victorian Government's pending announcement but said they're still waiting for the Federal Government to deliver. The community had hoped they would only have to cover $167 million, one third, of the $501 million project, with governments making up the difference. The Victorian Government said it won't contribute more and the Federal Government is waiting for a business case on the project to be released at the end of this month.
If the Federal Government matches the Victorian Government's commitment, the community will have to make up $247 million in shortfall.
Weekly Times, 4/8/04, page 2.
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