On Friday in Nowra, Prime Minister Scott Morrison extinguished doubts about the legitimacy of his party's $500 million commitment to the Princes Highway south of Nowra.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Doubts were fuelled by Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones, who on Wednesday tweeted the funding announcement was a "fraud".
Mr Morrison declared the funding would be delivered.
"What we have here is the $500 million envelope which is approved, locked in the budget and it's there for the project," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
"Now we get to the good bit, working with the state government to deliver the project."
Responding to Mr Jones' comment, Mr Morrison accused the Labor Party of playing "cheap politics".
"I'm disappointed the Labor Party has made that comment," he said.
"I think it shows a lack of understanding of the need here, of the strong track record our government and the state government have been able to deliver on the ground, protecting the livelihoods and lives of people who live on the South Coast.
"If the Labor Party wants to engage in the normal cheap politics, I'll leave that to them, that says more about them and their understanding of the South Coast than it does anything else."
Side by side with the Gilmore Liberal Candidate, the Prime Minister said Warren Mundine had pushed for Princes Highway funding from the outset.
And Mr Mundine's sentiment did not fall on deaf ears.
"I know this stretch of road, I've been driving along it my whole life and my family has too," Mr Morrison said.
"I'm very conscious of the accidents and the deaths and the serious incidents that have taken place along this notorious stretch of road. It's touched communities not just here on the South Coast, but up in Sydney from where I'm from.
"I want to commend the state government who has been doing the right thing by people on the South Coast by delivering these significant road projects and we're part of it.
"Warren and I are joined at the hip with the Berejiklian government, working with [Transport Minister] Andrew Constance and [South Coast MP] Shelley [Hancock] and [Kiama MP] Gareth Ward to make sure we're delivering these essential local road projects."
While in Nowra, on the banks of the Shoalhaven River, Mr Morrison visited patrons at a nearby cafe.
Shoalhaven dairy farmers Tim and Daniel Cochrane were on scene, eager to attract the PM's attention.
Before the press conference they were advised by Australian Federal Police to keep clear of Mr Morrison.
Mr Mundine attempted to defuse the situation before the PM arrived, and arranged another meeting with the farmers after the initial meeting was postponed.
Farmers left disappointed that Mr Morrison had again evaded them, following a similar situation at Jelly Bean Park in March.