Herald Sun: Victorian state election 2014: Industry gets behind East West Link. Paul Gilder. 26 November 2014

Industry groups say the East West Link project is needed to reinvigorate the economy.

Victoria’s transport and industry leaders have urged the winner of Saturday’s state election to commit to the controversial $6.8 billion East West Link project.The resultant easing of traffic congestion and job creation in the construction phase will provide a crucial confidence boost to businesses — many of which say they are still weighing up whether to invest in new workers or expansion plans.

It comes as government sources ­reveal the state would have to pay $1.1 billion in compensation to the project’s builders if it backed out.

With construction slated to begin this year, the Napthine Government is billing East West as an essential alternative to using the Monash, CityLink and West Gate freeways to traverse Melbourne.

Labor leader Daniel Andrews has vowed to ditch the project should he become premier, making it a political football heading into Saturday’s poll. Continue Reading…