Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Hansard source

In my electorate of Greenway, we have seen enormous growth as the north-west sector continues to expand. Suburbs such as The Ponds, Kellyville Ridge, Stanhope Gardens, Schofields, Quakers Hill and Riverstone continue to grow, and access to public transport remains a critical issue. On Friday, I was very pleased to be able to stand alongside Labor's spokesperson for infrastructure and transport, Anthony Albanese, the New South Wales Labor shadow Treasurer Ryan Park, and Dr Annemarie Christie, New South Wales Labor's candidate for the state seat of Riverstone to announce that Labor will commit $30 million in funding for commuter parking at Schofields train station, with federal and state Labor each delivering $15 million for a multistorey commuter car park.

Schofield station is a hub of commuter activity. Commuters travel to and from Blacktown, Parramatta, Strathfield and directly into the city and back home each day. Unfortunately, each weekday, the existing car park is full before seven o'clock in the morning, and this means commuters rushing to catch their trains are forced to park in surrounding streets, sometimes walking for 20 minutes or so just to get to the station. This is a huge frustration for residents and their families, and it's only going to get worse as we continue to expand. They're not just parking somewhere safe; they are parking on dangerous terrain which is poorly lit. They get caught in the rain. They sometimes end up having to park in places that are dangerous for traffic. Local residents are reporting now that the number of cars parking them in and in front of their driveways is simply unsustainable.

This chronic lack of commuter parking impacts on people's quality of life; it's a daily frustration for local residents. So improving access to public transport is a top priority of mine and it is a top priority for Labor at a state level, and one that we have advocated for very strongly. That's why we've announced a $30 million joint commitment for this project to address these issues. This is also going to take pressure off nearby Quakers Hill and Riverstone and train stations—their commuter car parks are also filling up very quickly in the morning.

I want to thank the thousands of local residents who have continued for many years to support the campaign to improve commuter parking in the Greenway electorate. Now I call on the federal Liberals and the New South Wales Liberals to match this $30 million funding announcement and get the project done. Residents simply want it done. It is unsustainable. And we cannot ignore the voices of local residents on this issue. This will make a significant improvement to people's quality of life. It needs to get done. Therefore, I call on the Liberals at the state and federal level to match this commitment, to make it happen for local residents, because their quality of life should be uppermost for all of us as their representatives.

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