Premier Ted Baillieu
Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard with a fresh offer of $42 million to host a state trial of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
This comes after several days of criticism from Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has been calling on Victoria and New South Wales to contribute more funds to to set up trial sites.
After a Council of Australian Governments Meeting on Wednesday, Ms Gillard expressed her disappointment that trial sites had only been secured in the smaller states of Tasmania and South Australia as well as the ACT.
Ms Gillard has been asking that Victoria contribute an extra $40 million in funding.
Mr Baillieu said he had written to the Prime Minister this afternoon with the new offer, which would enable a Barwon trial site for 5,000 Victorians to go ahead in mid 2013.
The Victorian Premier told reporters in Melbourne it was ‘‘sufficient’’ to meet Ms Gillard’s requirement.
‘‘I take the view that this is too important to play a political game,’’ Mr Baillieu said.
The NSW Minister for Disability Andrew Constance is expected to address the media shortly.
MORE TO COME