Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last night's budget was a turning point for Canning. After years of lobbying, advocacy and community support, the coalition government committed $824 million of federal funding to build major road and rail projects in our region. This is going to have a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people. The largest of these three projects, over half a billion dollars worth of investment, will extend the Tonkin Highway south into the heart of the Peel region. Presently, the Tonkin Highway ends abruptly at Thomas Road. Commuter traffic and heavy transport spills out into the streets of Byford, posing a danger to pedestrians, cyclists, horseriders and drivers. We will extend the Tonkin Highway south through the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale and connect it with the South Western Highway south of Mundijong. It's going to make a lot of local roads much safer for people, reduce congestion and open up access to the centre of the Peel region for both commercial and industrial development. This will expand the opportunities for business owners and provide an easy and direct route to the airport for people in exports. Importantly, all of this investment is going to grow local jobs in our region.

We have also secured funding that will extend the Armadale train line to Byford—and this is big news. The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale has weathered serious change over the past 10 years. This train line and station will help ease population pressures by providing easy access to employment in Perth and beyond. For many, it will mean a shorter trip to work and less time on the road. For students and young people, the Byford train station will mean better access to education and other opportunities in the city. It will also draw together old Byford in the east and new Byford in the west, giving the town a heart and a centre.

Finally, we have commenced our journey to building a second train station in the City of Mandurah. This is seriously needed for WA's second-largest city. Now, the long-awaited Lakeland railway station is set to become a reality. We have $2 million for the required business case, and further funding has been set aside for the station's construction. Lakeland's residents have been waiting over a decade for this to happen. In that time, Lakeland's population has tripled. When this is done, people travelling to the city will get there in less than an hour instead of being stuck in traffic or struggling to find a park when they arrive at their destination.

These projects aren't just fantasies or empty promises; they are happening and they are vital to the future of our region. This is going to draw investment to Peel because, where you build roads, where you build rail, people want to live, start a business and make a life. Government investment in infrastructure is known to have a multiplying effect on the local economy and so we are unlocking the potential of our region with this investment. A perfect example is Bells Engines. For 30 years, Ron Bell has built his engine reconditioning business from the ground up into a big operation with a global market. He is exporting all over the world and has enough demand to expand and take on at least 10 new staff, but the sprawl of Mandurah has meant there isn't enough space in the city for further expansion of Ron's business. Ron Bell wants to stay local, but this restraint has made it very difficult. The Tonkin Highway extension will activate land for a planned business park in West Mundijong, which is perfect for people like Ron, who want to stay local and invest in the Peel region. I also think of people like Mandy and Patrick Faulkner of Lakelands. They contacted me this week, thrilled to hear the train station is finally coming to their town. They shared just how much it will benefit them and their fellow residents, who will soon have easy access to Perth, all within walking distance of their front doors.

Last night was an important moment for everyone in Canning. I commend the many local people who have helped us make this happen by attending town hall meetings—30 last year—filling out surveys, signing petitions and sharing their stories with me. We have delivered historic infrastructure investment into Canning, and I thank the federal government for showing leadership in this.

House adjourned at 19:59

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