Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

If ever there was an example of the Labor Party neglecting the eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne it is this year's infrastructure budget by the new Albanese government. When you look at what they did, effectively they cut so many projects from the eastern and south-eastern suburbs and placed a lot of money back over into the west of Melbourne—and, funnily enough, into their seats, many of which are marginal seats. I want to go through some of those key projects that have been cut. These are projects that, in many cases, have been on the books for decades and which, in many cases, have been prioritised by VicRoads themselves for more than a decade yet they have been cut from the budget. The money was there. We finally delivered the money for these projects but they've been cut. Let me take you through them.

Perhaps the most obvious one is the duplication of Wellington Road. This was prioritised by VicRoads almost 15 years ago. The reason is that it was at capacity then. Back in 2016, there was a study done that showed 20,000 cars on this road every single day. It was full and, believe me, there's been a lot more traffic since. It's also had, in the five years up until that point, well over 100 crashes with many serious injuries and one fatality. It's a very dangerous road. It also happens to be the major evacuation route from any fires up in the Dandenongs. So it's a critically important road to be duplicated, and that was the funding that we got to get that to happen. Incidentally, the Labor Party matched the exact same funding. What have they done now, though, in this budget? That's gone. They promised it. We promised it. Money now gone. I'll also go through other projects that they've cut.

There's the Dorset Road extension. There's been $80 million allocated. It's been on the books for decades. We finally delivered the money. This Labor government cut it: money gone. There's the Napoleon Road duplication, desperately needed for all of those residents who travel that road from Rowville or Lysterfield and further afield. They know it's desperately needed. It's gone. There are the commuter carparks for Boronia and Ferntree Gully. These are desperately needed, because they get full early—

Gov ernment members interjecting—

See this speech in context