“People have been waiting for this business case for two years, it has finally been done and effectively labelled top secret — nobody is allowed to look at it,” he said.
“We are in this ridiculous situation where I’m not privy to it as the local member.”
Mr Drum has written to Acting Premier James Merlino and state Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan asking for the veil of secrecy to be lifted so he can lobby effectively for any additional funding identified in the business case.
“This is just so unacceptable, I just can’t believe what the Victorian Government is doing,” Mr Drum said.
“I have urged them to come to Shepparton as soon as they can to explain themselves and to open up the transparency around this project.”
The Federal Government has committed $208 million to deliver stage one of the bypass, which would provide a second river crossing between Shepparton and Mooroopna.
“We expected it might need more than that,” Mr Drum said.
“The secrecy they have enveloped this in just makes me wonder what their intentions are — this is not how things are normally done.”
State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said the business case was now in the hands of the people who determined funding.
“Our community has been advocating for this bypass for a long time and we really need another river crossing,” she said.
“While we’ve waited a long time for the business case, I am glad it’s in the hands of the two ministers who need to discuss it and lobby their respective governments to fund it.”
Shepparton Bypass Action Group chair Peter Johnson said delivery of the business case was still a significant milestone — even if the details were not widely known.
“This is a real step forward and we are edging closer and closer, I’m delighted,” he said.
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