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

There are a few things that are more frustrating in the working day than the slow and sluggish drive to and from work or the painful search for a car park when catching the train. That's the message I hear constantly from constituents in my electorate of Dunkley. This government is committed to reducing road congestion so that residents in my electorate of Dunkley and across Australia can spend more time with their families and less time stuck in peak-hour traffic jams that are only getting worse.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics said in 2015 that total passenger travel in Australian cities has grown almost tenfold over the last 70 years, with private road vehicles currently accounting for 87 per cent of the aggregate urban passenger task. As at the 2016 census night, 71,471 people identified as being in the labour force in Dunkley, but only 31 per cent of those residents actually work in Dunkley, creating significant congestion issues in and out of the electorate. This also means a large volume of people are catching the train from Frankston, Kananook and Seaford stations, resulting in a shortage of available parking. Also people from outside the electorate, all down the peninsula, in the Casey areas and beyond come to take the trains from those stations. In order to deal with the growing congestion issues in Dunkley and around Australia we must adequately fund the required construction, upgrades and improvements of our roads, rail and other infrastructure

I am proud to be a part of a government which is investing record amounts in congestion busting projects. I've spoken many times in this chamber about the Frankston to Baxter electrification project, which now has $453 million on the table, with $228 million budgeted from the federal government and $225 million from the state Liberals, if elected, secured by both Michael Lamb, the Liberal candidate for Frankston, and Donna Bauer, the Liberal candidate for Carrum. This extensive project, which is the largest transport infrastructure project in Dunkley's history, will extend Metro rail to stations servicing Frankston East—so, between Frankston Hospital and Monash University—Langwarrin and Baxter. It will also provide a significantly increased service for the surrounding suburbs and towns. It will also involve the electrification and duplication of the line between Frankston and Baxter. It will build new park-and-ride facilities, in particular at Langwarrin but also at Baxter, closer to people's homes, freeing up parking at Frankston, Kananook, Seaford and Carrum train stations. It will create over 4,000 local jobs, reducing road congestion, lowering emissions and improving connectivity. Together with other federal and state Liberals, I'm proud that we have secured funding for this very important project, which will greatly ease both urban congestion and parking pressures in the electorate and beyond.

Recently, the Liberal candidate for Frankston, Michael Lamb, also secured $30.3 million from an elected Victorian Liberal state government for multistorey car parking near Frankston station, which will greatly help to resolve the parking issues throughout Frankston and the wider community. In addition, one of the major issues that people in Carrum Downs and Skye raise with me on a regular basis is the urban congestion on Hall and Ballarto roads and the difficulties in simply getting in and out of their residential streets and shopping centres. This means more time on the road, more stress, safety issues and less time at home with their families. So I've been advocating and fighting for major roads infrastructure funding for both Hall and Ballarto roads to resolve the significant issues at these residential and shopping intersections, including the potential duplication of these roads so people can more easily and safely turn left and right on and off their streets and get home sooner.

Yesterday I met with the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, Alan Tudge, to advocate for this urgently needed funding and to discuss the delivery of the $453 million Frankston to Baxter rail extension, which will also take cars of these congested roads, meaning less commuting time, more time spent with families, easier access to local shops and homes—and, combined with that, the rail transport that the community needs. I will continue to advocate for major infrastructure funding for Ballarto Road and Hall Road as well as for the delivery of the Frankston to Baxter rail project. I'll continue to work hard on behalf of my constituents in Dunkley to deliver the congestion busting infrastructure that is needed, whether it is rail or road investment.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 12:01