Jim Lloyd (Robertson, Liberal Party, Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, in respect of the comments made by the member for Hotham, my only response is the old adage: ‘Look at what Labor does, not what it says.’ It is all right for those opposite to say on the record that they support Regional Partnerships—and it is great to have that on the record—but you actually have to look at their track record: what they have done and how they have tried to undermine, delay and cause problems with the Regional Partnerships program at every step. I go back to that adage, ‘Look at what Labor does, not what it says.’

In relation to the F5 freeway, I know that the honourable member is very interested in it so I will provide some further details in relation to that project. The widening of the southbound carriageway of the F5 to the M7 and Brooks Road, Ingleburn, of about five kilometres was completed and open to traffic in December 2005. It is a $23 million project fully funded by the Australian government and it was essential to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the M7-F5 interchange. The widening of the F5 from two lanes to four lanes northbound for approximately five kilometres between Brooks Road and Camden Valley Way is now underway following the awarding of the tenders in December last year. The total cost of this project is $30.1 million with the Australian government contributing 80 per cent or $24.1 million. It is expected the project will be completed by May 2008. You have the F5 ramps at Campbelltown Road, Ingleburn, and the project consists of a northbound exit ramp that connects with Campbelltown Road north of the Campbelltown Road overbridge at Ingleburn and a southbound entry ramp from a roundabout built at the intersection with Williamson Road. It was completed and opened on 16 June 2006. The total cost of this project was $13.7 million, with the Australian government contributing two-thirds or $9 million, and the Campbelltown council contributing the remaining third.

The point to this is that, on this important road network, the federal government funding for the three projects is $56.23 million whilst the state government has only contributed $6 million towards one project. I guess the honourable member has asked me the same question that he asked me previously in a different form. I can only go back to what I said earlier in relation to projects in AusLink 2: we will take very seriously any recommendations from the honourable member, from the state government and any submissions that have been put in relation to that in the corridor studies.

Proposed expenditure agreed to.

See this speech in context