Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We hear a lot about infrastructure. No newspaper, TV or radio bulletin fails to mention the term on a daily basis. It's a term bandied about with, at times, little thought to what it actually is or means. I thought I would begin my contribution with the definition from the Cambridge dictionary:

the basic systems and services, such as transport and power supplies, that a country or organisation users in order to work effectively.

Working off that definition, I am proud that this government, the Albanese Labor government, is delivering infrastructure in spades to my part of Western Sydney. It is delivering genuinely needed basic services that will allow Western Sydney, the third largest economy in Australia, to work effectively, and that's something that wasn't delivered under previous New South Wales and federal governments.

Let me take a few minutes of the chamber's time to paint a picture of the government's commitment to basic transport infrastructure in my part of the world. It's a picture of substance over spin and deliverables over vain press releases. Let me begin with the announcement on 6 May by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The announcement committed $1.9 billion towards 14 new projects and additional funding for two existing projects. The new projects provide solutions for traffic and transport bottlenecks all over Western Sydney, including Mamre Road, Mulgoa Road, Elizabeth Drive, Garfield Road, Memorial Avenue and Appin Road. Anyone familiar with peak-hour traffic congestion will sadly know each of these roads and how desperately they need the investment. Further, the announcement on 6 May committed $20 million to partner with the New South Wales government to expand the scope of the South West Rail plan and business case to include consideration of expanding the line to the Macarthur region. On top of the $1.9 billion for new construction projects, the announcement also committed an additional $147 million in funding for planning projects and $70 million in additional Australian government funding for existing projects.

It's an impressive package. Moreover, it's a package that will deliver real solutions for those who call Western Sydney home. It will help get children to school on time and commuters to work on time. It will help the transport industry to keep things moving and, in general, help Western Sydney to grow into the economic powerhouse that it is. The commitments to my part of Western Sydney underline that the landscape of Western Sydney is changing for the better, and they show that our government has a commitment to our community and has listened to the advocacy over the last eight years.