Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I say to everyone stuck in traffic in Hoddle Street, on Flemington Road and on Alexander Parade that there is only one way to fix it—that is to build the East West Link. There is only one way to build the East West Link. That is to re-elect the Napthine government. Melbourne is choking on its own traffic. The coalition will fix the gridlock. Labor would keep it because they put Greens preferences ahead of better infrastructure and more jobs. That is the truth: they put Greens preferences ahead of better infrastructure and more jobs.

The East West Link will cut out 23 sets of traffic lights. It will give inner-city residents their parks and suburbs back. It will give the occupants of 100,000 vehicles a 20-minute time-saving every single day. East West Link stage 1 will create almost 4,000 jobs and, combined with stage 2, the East West Link will create 7,000 jobs. It is exactly the economic shot in the arm that Victoria needs. Denis Napthine supports it. The Labor Party oppose it. There could not be a clearer choice facing the people of Victoria this Saturday. Not only do Labor oppose the East West Link, not only do Labor want to keep Melbourne in the 19th century—

Ms Butler interjecting —

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