Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday, yet another horrific car accident occurred in my electorate at the intersection of the Nepean Highway and Uralla Road within arm's reach of a giant sign I had put up almost a year ago demanding action to fix this intersection. I last rose to speak about it in this place in February, and condemned the Albanese government's delay in affirming the $20 million that had been appropriated for repairs and improvements to this intersection in previous coalition budgets. At that time I pointed out every injury occurring at that intersection from that time forward would lay at their feet. Here we are, six months later, and there's been yet another horrendous accident resulting in hospitalisation.

The Nepean Highway is one of our busiest local roads, with 18,000 vehicles travelling along this part of the highway in Mount Martha every single day. Since 2012 there have been more than 30 serious accidents at the intersection. Five years ago the coalition provided full funding to make this intersection safe. When the Albanese government was elected they threw the funding away by putting it into the 90-day review, which blew out to 180 days, leaving everybody in confusion. At this point, both Labor governments at the state and federal level sit on their hands whilst accidents continue to happen week by week. Ongoing grief and significant injury will be the inevitable result to my residents. It's been fully funded for years, and it's time to get on with it and do the job.