Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise following the member for McMillan and hopefully in some way responding to the challenges that he left us all with. Last week I held two community catch-ups in the communities of Wollert and Yarrambat—two very different suburbs in the Scullin electorate. I wanted to provide an informal opportunity for people to meet with me near their homes and raise issues of concern to them, to ensure that I am responsive to those concerns whether they relate to local, national or indeed global matters, and to bring formal politics a little bit closer to people seeking to build confidence in this institution.

There was clearly a lot of pent-up frustration at the current Victorian government, particularly the lack of investment in public transport infrastructure in these growing communities. In Wollert and Epping North residents were keen to make the case for rail and bus services to be extended to Epping North. The case for buses is particularly stark, given the existence of bus stops without buses to service them on new estates.

When last in government Labor in Victoria extended the Epping railway lane to South Morang. Labor recognised that the communities in Melbourne's north were growing and that people needed an efficient way to get where they needed to go. This is in stark contrast to the current Victorian government, whose transport policy is built around an $8 billion east-east tollway that does nothing for residents in Melbourne's north. I have yet to speak to a single constituent who favours this tollway. Unfortunately, when it comes to Melbourne's north, the Commonwealth government is even worse than the Victorian government, repeatedly refusing to fund urban rail at all. I know that state MP Lily D'Ambrosio shares my concern about the lack of infrastructure in the area and will continue to be a strong voice on this matter, along with the City of Whittlesea.

In Yarrambat, just about every single person who spoke to me raised the problems of Yan Yean Road. It has reached the stage whereby a resident has taken to petitioning the state government to take control of this road between Kurrak and Bridge Inn roads. I await the government's response with interest—though, based on the record, with little optimism. I too have been stuck in traffic on Yan Yean Road and can personally attest to its seemingly permanently gridlocked nature. I know residents affected by this road have an energetic and vocal advocate in their state MP, Danielle Green.

The issues raised by residents in both places went to matters of social inclusion and their ability to access opportunities for work, and living their day-to-day lives by doing something as simple as meeting their neighbours for coffee at the local cafe. In Epping North this can be hard to do where there are no footpaths and in Yarrambat people can spend more time stuck in traffic than it takes to complete their weekly shop.

I thank the owner of the Third Place Cafe in Wollert, Samir Latif, and the owner of Tancks Corner Cafe in Yarrambat, Chris Guy, for their delicious food and coffee, as well as their warm hospitality. I am pleased to support these local small businesses. And I thank the many local constituents who took the time to chat or even just to say hello. It is important to me that I am where the people are and that I am working for them and listening to them. I am of course determined to deliver for these communities.