LEADER of The Nationals, Peter Walsh has slammed the State Government for allegedly dodging questions in Parliament relating to regional Victorians being short-changed.

Mr Walsh said the Victorian Government was slashing regional development and jobs spending by almost 80 per cent – from more than $1 billion annually to approximately $250 million.

It comes amid data revealing regional Victorians are paying 21 per cent more for water, 30 per cent more for electricity and 50 per cent more in property rates compared to city residents.

Mr Walsh claimed that regional development minister, Gayle Tierney, refused to answer direct questions on the continual “snubbing” of regional Victorians in Parliament on Wednesday, more specifically why the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, designed to support and grow regional communities, closed in August 2022.

When probed on the statistic that regional Victoria receives only 13 per cent of infrastructure spending despite being home to 25 per cent of the state’s population, Ms Tierney claimed 28 per cent of total funding went to the regional areas.

Mr Walsh said this was in direct conflict with the latest independent Parliamentary Budget Office report which confirms regional Victorians are only receiving 13 per cent of Victoria’s funding.

“Regional Victorians have been snubbed again,” Mr Walsh said.

“The regions are being ignored … and the numbers prove it – $9264 per person in the regions versus $23,625 in Melbourne.

“Ten years ago, we had $1 billion in the Regional Growth Fund.

“Now, there’s nothing.”