Gladys Liu (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to speak about the continuous delivery of safer and better roads and infrastructure in my electorate of Chisholm. Nation-building extensive infrastructure projects have been a constant of Liberal-National governments over the last eight years and a hallmark of our vision of a connected Australia that really works. This has continued in the past two budgets through the global COVID-19 pandemic, creating more jobs, boosting aggregate demand and locking in our economic recovery.

From 2020-21, the Australian government will invest $110 billion over 10 years on infrastructure. This pipeline is already supporting 100,000 jobs on worksites across the country today. Projects announced since the start of the crisis and in the recent budget will see $14 billion in new and accelerated projects, and support a further 40,000 jobs. Victorians will be pleased to hear that we have allocated funding to kickstart key public transport projects like the Melbourne Airport rail link and fast rail between Melbourne and Geelong. We are also helping to upgrade highways and address pinch points through projects like the North East Link, south-east and northern Melbourne suburban roads, upgrades to the Monash Freeway and so much more.

Rebuilding our economy includes building more roads, rail and bridges, and in my electorate of Chisholm the story is no different. In Box Hill we are making improvements to the very busy intersection of Station Street and Harrow Street as well as providing better and more efficient street lighting on Whitehorse Road. In Mount Waverley, we are widening Scotchmans Creek Trail and reducing traffic speed to improve safety on Lawrence Road. In Burwood we are making upgrades to Gardiners Creek Trail. In Glen Waverley, we are making major pedestrian safety improvements around Kingsway and the Glen Waverley forecourt. In Blackburn, we are backing Whitehorse City Council with $2 million in funding to replace Main Street Bridge.

All of these local projects are important, but the work on Main Street Bridge is long overdue. A structural assessment found that the current bridge, which has been in place since at least 1945, is beyond maintenance and needs to be replaced. Earlier this year, I met with council representatives, who talked me through their plans, including proposed traffic diversions and efforts to protect native wildlife. So far, I have been impressed with their work, but I note the concerns of some locals that construction will cause significant disruption to their daily lives. There is certainly room for improvement, and I am committed to making sure residents' voices are heard in the months ahead. The bridge will be closed while the works are being completed, so I encourage locals to check alternative routes and plan their trip ahead of time to avoid delays.

Good, safe roads are vital for a community's social and economic wellbeing. I'm proud that the Morrison government is investing in our community and delivering for Blackburn residents and Chisholm as a whole. More than that, our infrastructure spending is creating good local jobs and securing our economic recovery. That's our plan, and it's working. A Liberal government will always ensure that Chisholm gets the roads and infrastructure upgrades it needs.

House adjourned at 20 : 00