Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

By cancelling the Wellington Road upgrade in Casey, Labor are breaking their 2019 promise for the $110 million construction. Road duplication consists of building a second separate carriageway alongside the initial single carriageway, easing congestion and improving safety. Wellington Road is a bushfire escape route for those towns in the Dandenong Ranges. It also allows emergency services access to the mountain, with the local CFA labelling Labor's decision as 'really distressing news for our community' for this reason. Local councils and communities want and need this, but Labor is refusing to deliver it. It was a bipartisan project, with both Labor and the previous coalition government committing to this crucial project.

Labor used to see the value in reducing risk to vulnerable communities, but obviously they have changed their views. The Minister for Finance argued for the scrapping of projects by accusing the former coalition government of using taxpayer money cynically to buy votes. The Labor government thinks it is cynical to ease congestion and improve road safety in bushfire-prone areas. The opposition thinks it is necessary. Not only have Labor broken their promise but they are also putting my constituents at increased risk in an emergency.