Melissa Fyfe
THE Coalition has made a big-money election-year pitch to regional Victorians, promising a $1 billion growth fund that will give country voters a say in government investment.
The Brumby government immediately accused the Nationals of setting up a cynical slush fund that would benefit its safe seats and leave Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong in the cold.
Unveiling the opposition's key regional election policy yesterday, Nationals leader Peter Ryan painted the Brumby government as ''city-centric'' and said his Regional Growth Fund would revitalise town centres, encourage better transport for university and TAFE students, fix roads and bridges, and boost local health facilities.
