Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that:

(a) over the past eight years of this Government, infrastructure funding to areas of growth has been neglected;

(b) as revealed in September's Final Budget Outcome there has been another 12 months of broken infrastructure promises from the Government, with infrastructure spending totalling $656.5 million less than was promised; and

(c) over eight long years of this Government, its infrastructure broken promises now total an incredible $7.4 billion;

(2) recognises that this lack of funding has resulted in fewer roads, fewer public transport upgrades, longer commutes, less time at home and fewer jobs for Australians who need them; and

(3) calls on the Government to provide adequate funding to infrastructure projects and build the roads and rail that Australians actually need.

I'm moving this motion today because nowhere can the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government's neglect on infrastructure funding be seen more than in the area I represent, the federal seat of Lalor. For eight long years, the people I represent have been ignored by members opposite, and our local infrastructure is struggling to keep up with population growth. But this story is not confined to Lalor and is repeated nationwide for growth areas. I'm sure there will be many other examples to come from the speakers following me today.

In the last 12 months alone, the Morrison government has failed to deliver over half a billion dollars in infrastructure funding, and, over the eight long years of this government, its broken infrastructure promises now total an incredible $7.4 billion. These broken promises result in fewer road programs, fewer public transport options and longer commutes. In Wyndham, that is not just about time on the M1; it's also about time crossing our city for school, for child care, for shopping, for sport, to visit family, to care for the elderly. Meanwhile, media reports tell us the Morrison government has been using taxpayer funds to shore up Liberal and National seats with projects that don't stack up on need or, indeed, on value for money.

Wyndham, the centre of the seat of Lalor, is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia and the fastest growing region in Victoria. Wyndham's population has increased by 75,000 since 2016 and is forecast to hit 300,000 at the end of this year. While this population growth has been phenomenal to see—as someone who has lived in Werribee my entire life, I've watched it go from a country town between Melbourne and Geelong to a large city in the outer suburbs—our local infrastructure is struggling to keep up with federal funding for local projects. From what I can find, the only major road or rail infrastructure project this government has funded that will benefit my community is a $150 million upgrade for the M80—and that was when Tony Abbott was Prime Minister.

This stands in stark contrast to when Labor was last in office, when the Leader of the Opposition was Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and when over $4.1 billion was invested in major projects that benefited locals that I represent. It's because only Labor invests in the west. This is shown by the commitment to our local community from the Victorian Labor government, who are investing in better public transport options, removing level crossings and improving intersections. They invested $1.2 billion in improving local roads, and they're building the West Gate tunnel, giving people from the west alternatives to the West Gate Bridge.

As I previously explained, Wyndham's growth has been phenomenal, with an increase of around six per cent a year, year on year on year. Some forecasts suggest Wyndham will hit half a million residents in the next 20 years. Seventy per cent of this growth is happening in the suburbs of Tarneit, Truganina, Wyndham Vale and Werribee. We need to build the infrastructure now to support the new residents already living in Wyndham and those who will be joining us, and the best way to do this is for the federal government to fund the Wyndham Westlink.

There are currently three road river crossings in Wyndham. One, by the way, was closed last week due to flooding. They're all within two kilometres of one another. This project would provide a fourth, vital crossing of the Werribee River, linking Armstrong Road in Wyndham Vale and Sayers Road in Tarneit. A trip between Tarneit and Wyndham Vale on Labor's Regional Rail Link takes seven minutes, but locals have reported to me that the same trip by car can take 45 minutes in peak hour and bring thousands of cars onto the Shaws Road bridge. The Wyndham Westlink will also build an overpass over the railway at Ison Road, connecting the fast-growing Wyndham Vale, Manor Lakes and Werribee suburbs to the Princes Freeway. This will help locals living in these growth suburbs and travelling into the heart of our city to gain access to the freeway. This project is vital. It will connect our growing suburbs and ease congestion in the heart of our city.

I urge all locals who want their fair share from the Morrison government to head to my website and sign the petition. In just a few days it has had great uptake, and social media posts have shown great support and discussion amongst locals. This project is vital. It's time for the Morrison government to get on board with it. It's time for the Morrison Liberal government to stop playing politics on infrastructure funding and deliver where it's needed, not where it's politically convenient.

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