VICROADS AUDIT?

Jon Faine. ABC radio this morning.

Someone  at  VicRoads leaked some paperwork that seem to show VicRoads
inflating  figures  to  make the multi-billion dollar east west tunnel
project look a better investment than it is.

A  professor  questioned  their  methods  and whether we need to build
major  projects  with BPPs (business/private partnerships) at all. Our
taxes used to build infrastructure that we taxpayers own.

In my opinion, no Victorian should be paying road tolls and motorcycles &
scooters should certainly be exempt because the do little road damage and
they help traffic flows. Tolling bikes is counterproductive. It does not benefit
share holders and profits tend to disappear overseas.

The  point  is,  if  VicRoads  has  cooked  the  books on this massive
project,  why should anyone trust the integrity of VicRoads figures on
anything else.

Apparently  the  Greens  made  an FoI request for about 300 pages from
VicRoads  and  most  of  it  was  blacked  out.  Not  sure  if that is
significant.  There's  a  story on it in today's Financial Review I'm
told.

What  is  significant  is  that  VicRoads  considers  itself  to be an
international  corporation  held in high regard around the world. That
was  published  recently.  VicRoads  is a public service road building
organisation with an oversized ego and a lust for big road projects.

The  Independent  Riders'  Group  has  been  asking  for the Victorian
Auditor  General's Office  to  conduct  an  audit into VicRoads use of
signage  and roadside barriers. We were told the next VAGO annual plan
would be on the VAGO website in May 2013. See attached.

Can someone please check the VAGO website  to  see if that plan is out
yet?  I'd  be  interested in any other media on the VicRoads documents
and leaks mentioned above.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group