PM waits on case for Vic's East West Link THE federal government is still waiting on a good business case from the Victorian government for the East West Link road project, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says. The federal government allocated $3 billion for the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel in Tuesday's budget. But there was no money for the East West Link road. Funding for the nine-kilometre rail tunnel clashes with the priorities of Victoria's coalition government, which is committed to completing the eastern stage of the East West Link road first, by 2019. Ms Gillard says spending money on public transport projects such as the Melbourne Metro tunnel will ease congestion on city streets. "We are spending more money on public transport infrastructure than has been spent in the whole history of federation because that does change congestion on our city streets," she told radio station Gold FM in Melbourne. The prime minister said she was happy to work with the Victorian government. "On East West we are still waiting for comprehensive plans and a good business case from the Victorian government to be put in to Infrastructure Australia," she said. Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said he accepted his colleagues' advice the federal coalition should pledge $1.5 billion towards East West Link - even without a publicly-released business case. "My colleagues are the ones that in discussions with the Victorian government have come to the conclusion that this is the project at this stage that is most deserving of support," he said. I accept that view. The remaining $2 billion was pencilled in for between 2020 and 2025, he said. State Transport Minister Terry Mulder said money provided by the federal government for the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel was fanciful. Much of the money would not come through until 2017-18, he said. "It may as well have come with a dozen Tattslotto tickets stapled to it because there is no firm commitment as to how the money is going to be paid to the state," Mr Mulder told a hearing of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. There is an initial commitment of $75 million. Beyond that it is anyone's guess. It is a mirage, it's fanciful.