Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this evening to call on the federal Labor government to deliver on its funding promises to my electorate of Forrest. In particular, I refer to funding for the Bunbury port access road and the Bunbury outer ring road—projects which I strongly promoted during the election process. Federal Labor must understand that when it makes such funding promises it needs to actually deliver, giving very clear planning and timing direction on the rollout of funds. The member for Batman stated during the election campaign that the Rudd Labor government would work in partnership with the Western Australian government to deliver a new deal on the Bunbury port access road and the outer ring road in Forrest. In fact, federal Labor committed $136 million towards the Bunbury port access road stages 1 and 2 and the outer ring road stage 1. They beat a path to the local newspapers and announced it at every possible opportunity to ensure that the voters of Forrest were well informed on what the Labor Party would do once they were in government. The Prime Minister was quoted in the Australian on 9 February saying: ‘We were serious about our commitments to the people before the election. We intend to implement those commitments.’ But now, some three months on, there is still no sign of any of this funding and, indeed, it is impossible to get any response from the minister’s office as to when it is likely to happen. The Mayor of Bunbury himself stated to a group of industry professionals on Monday, 18 February 2008 that he had made numerous calls to the minister but he was still waiting to have questions answered as to when this funding would happen.

This is a critical regional infrastructure project and crucial to the issue of public safety. Four major highways converge at the Eelup roundabout in Bunbury, creating the worst black spot within the entire state. The Bunbury port access road and outer ring-road projects will allow trucks travelling north and south on the Old Coast Road and South Western Highway to bypass Bunbury and directly access the port. The Bunbury port access road will link the port to the new Perth-Bunbury Highway and South Western Highway. I am most concerned for the logistical infrastructure planning that has already gone into developing this project—a project, I might add, that will provide essential improvement to traffic flow and public safety by eliminating the bottleneck at the roundabout and making it safer for everyone. The roads dovetail into the expansion plans for the Bunbury port and the future Bunbury waterfront concept.

I call on the Labor government to keep its promise for this much-needed road funding and to allow the funds to flow urgently for this vital regional project. Further delays will only add to the escalating cost blow-outs. Projects such as these affect the lifestyle, wellbeing and road safety of all those who live and work in the south-west. They are urgently needed to cater for the increase in industry and population growth. Federal Labor is overdue to deliver on its promise to the residents of the south-west and actually start the process. If these funds do not flow immediately, then it will be clear that federal Labor is not committed to road safety and regional development in the south-west of Western Australia. I call on the government to get on with the job at hand and provide the already approved funds to facilitate the expansion of key economic and social infrastructure in Forrest.