Extract from ABC News
Updated
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged Victorian premier-elect Daniel Andrews to break his promise to scrap the East West Link.
Mr Andrews has started his first week as the leader of a newly elected Labor Government after a convincing win at the weekend.Labor is on track to win at least 47 seats in the election, enough to have a majority in the 88-seat Parliament, and Mr Andrews will be sworn in later this week when vote counting is finalised.
Mr Andrews said Mr Abbott tried to convince him to go ahead with the project.
"He invited me to break my commitment on East West and I indicated to him that I would not be doing that," Mr Andrews said.
"We then talked about the many other infrastructure projects that we've laid out the opportunities to partner with him on his commitment to the Australian community that he would be an infrastructure PM.
"We've agreed to meet face to face."
Mr Abbott said the Federal Government was still "absolutely committed to East West Link" and he hoped Mr Andrews would have a "change of heart" on the project.
"He is sticking by what he said during the election but obviously he is now in the process of getting his feet under the desk, consulting with public servants," Mr Abbott said.
"No doubt he will be talking to the Government's lawyers about the contracts that have been signed so let's wait and see what happens."
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