‘It’s free money’: Tom Elliott says Daniel Andrews should agree to build the East West Link

The Andrews Government has not backed the East West Link, despite the federal government pledging $4 billion to the road project.

The federal government says the remainder of funding needed to build the tunnel will come from the private sector, so the state government will not be left out of pocket.

Tom Elliott said Premier Daniel Andrews needs to swallow his pride and agree to build the tunnel.

“Daniel Andrews has to admit that he is wrong,” the 3AW Drive host said.

“It’s free money. You don’t often get things in life that are completely free, but this one is.

“East West Link is project that needs to happen and should happen.”

Macquarie Media’s State Political Reporter James Talia agreed.

“The bottom line is there’s $4 billion dollars on the table. It’s remarkably unusual to have $4 billion dollars being offered to a state premier and that premier saying, ‘no thanks,” he said.

“The premier’s got a lot of skin in this game.

“I suspect he thinks it’s just too big a back flip to go back on that now, especially since, remember, he spent more than $1 billion dollars to tear up those contracts,” Mr Talia said.

Press PLAY below to hear what James Talia had to say on 3AW Drive.