Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the past two weeks Dunkley residents have again seen the impact of a Victorian Labor government which continues to make decisions without proper consultation with the local council, local businesses or the public, and which clearly demonstrates a lack of forward planning. Further to their sky rail debacle, which will see the Frankston train line become a roller-coaster, we now know that the Labor government plan to move the train-stabling yards from their current location in Carrum to an already-occupied industrial land site at Kananook in Seaford. This news of further land acquisitions and the Victorian state Labor government's heavy-handed approach to public transport infrastructure will again have a negative impact on my electorate of Dunkley, and the ripple effect will be felt by many local businesses, employees and families. The government's behaviour and disregard for my community is beyond belief. In fact, this plan was revealed in the media, not through an announcement, and with little or no consultation with the businesses affected.

The land of at least seven businesses will be compulsorily acquired, putting over 200 jobs at risk, and hundreds of families, along with their children. Page Bros Jayco is a well-known name across Melbourne and the peninsula. It is a family business of over 50 years' history, with 50 full-time employees. Its land will be acquired and it may, potentially, have to shut down. Owner Steven Page was quoted as telling the state government that he and his employees are going to be fighting the decision, and that they are very, very upset—amongst many other words that I cannot use in this parliament. Other business owners and I were made aware of these plans only through the Frankston Standard Leader newspaper. Their shock is understandable. Other businesses at risk—at least the ones we are aware of—include Sims Group Australia Holdings Ltd, McGhie Truck and Machinery, Melbourne's Cheapest Caravans & Trailers, Seaford Panels and Charlie's Diesel Services, but I suspect that that will not be the extent of it.

Frankston City Council Mayor, Brian Cunial, described the decision as a 'loss of key industrial land' and said that this move 'would result in the loss of vital businesses' from the municipality. The audacity of state Labor to impose this upon my constituents is just unbelievable. These businesses will be forced to close, at great cost, putting jobs at risk, and if they reopen it may not be in Seaford or in my electorate.

Many in this House and in my electorate are more than aware of the ongoing work by the federal government locally through my election commitment of $4 million to fund an extensive business plan for duplication and electrification of the Metro Frankston line to Baxter, which state Labor refuses to sign off on to allow this plan to start. This federal coalition government commitment is what many in Dunkley see as real action and future planning to meet community needs and to provide connectivity. One of the aspects of the business plan is to investigate the option of moving stabling yards to unused land further down the line, likely near Baxter, freeing up land to create more opportunity for economic growth within Frankston—a position that the Victorian state opposition leader, Matthew Guy, has endorsed. This is in stark contrast to what the Labor state government is doing by forcibly moving businesses to simply store rolling stock on their land. Opposition leader Matthew Guy has joined me in opposing this land acquisition in Seaford.

In his opinion piece in the local newspaper, local Mornington Peninsula resident and Channel 7 newsreader Peter Mitchell reflected on the lack of planning in local transport in our region. On the topic of land acquisitions and relocating the train stabling, he said:

Many are up in arms over this, including the owners, management and 50 full-time staff at Seaford caravan firm Jayco Page Bros, whose 3 ha site is earmarked for the wrecking ball.

Frankston City Council favours a new stabling facility at Baxter in a project that would also deliver an electrified and duplicated track to the growing area.

He ended his piece with:

Don't hold your breath waiting for an efficient public transport system on the Mornington Peninsula.

Returning to my initial point, if the Labor state government bothered to ask the local community, or the local council for that matter, or me, about what would be good for our community, perhaps we might be seeing some serious action to utilise the federal funds of $4 million to fully investigate the option of the electrification to Baxter and the benefits this would bring, including the relocation of the stabling yards to a better location. It is called future planning. But we are still waiting for the state government to sign off on the project proposal report. We have a community that does not believe the state Labor government is serious about public transport or in helping us to complete this project.