Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, I raise the issue of Cessnock Road, at Testers Hollow, which is to become a new part of Paterson. Testers Hollow is one of those unusual situations where—during floods, as occurred in January—the community is cut off from Maitland. I have already had a meeting with Bob Pynsent, the mayor of Cessnock City Council, and I have had discussions with Mayor Blackmore from Maitland City Council. One of the problems is that you have different views from each council on how to rectify the situation. Cessnock council want a new bridge over Testers Hollow. Maitland council want the approval of development on the high sections leading into Maitland.

I need the two councils to sit down together with the state minister to work out a solution. I know that the member for Hunter has raised this on a couple of occasions and we are both in agreement. The federal government cannot work forward until there is a unified agreement between the councils on how to approach the situation, but the problem must be rectified. Communities cannot be landlocked for days on end. This occurred in January, and previously it occurred just nine months before that. It is too regular an occurrence. We need urgent action to address it.

By way of background, looking at the cost of the overpass at Maitland railway station, which was $45 million, you would have to work out that the figure for building a high bridge over Testers Hollow would be in the order of $60 million to $70 million for about 500 metres of road. We need an affordable and effective solution for these people so that they are no longer blocked from getting into Maitland or Kurri. (Time expired)