Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I want to speak about something that is very important to our community: Labor's commitment to infrastructure in communities across McEwen. These are essential commitments to our community. Failing to deliver commitments like these affects everyone. It affects everyone from the single mum who has to get up an hour earlier to go to work to those who are travelling to go and see sport or friends and those that get caught and blocked on the highway because there's no other exit to get off. Failing to do these things also affects the kids who have to see a note on the kitchen table instead of mum around there in the morning.

For too long Victoria was short-changed by coalition governments. For nine years our rural roads crumbled and traffic piled up. Successive governments from the other side failed to fund the development needed by regional communities in McEwen. With Liberal governments unwilling to give Victoria more than seven per cent of infrastructure funding, despite us making up 25 per cent of the population, it seemed the biggest congestion we had for a decade was getting money out of Canberra.

I'm glad to report that since the election of the Albanese Labor government that tide has turned. More than a billion dollars in federal road funding is now being delivered across the electorate—transformative commitments that will shape the region for decades to come. The projects funded today become the foundations of tomorrow for McEwen, and those foundations for our communities are strong. The Camerons Lane Interchange and the northern intermodal project will see $900 million directed at a critical link in the chain that connects Melbourne's northern growth corridor. By better connecting the Hume Highway to the community around Beveridge, a fast-developing suburb gets an equal opportunity where people can live and work in the region. Regionally, it is a necessary step in the right direction. It's necessary because it brings jobs to our region and it brings business. Nationally, it has benefits that reach right across Australia. This will help realise the northern intermodal freight precinct.

We are supporting the double-stack container services for freight trains up and down the east coast—the foundations for a cheaper, faster supply chain, lowering costs for Australian businesses and families. Similarly, we have committed $90 million to the Watson Street upgrade and much-needed off-ramps on the Hume Highway. For years commuters had to accept early mornings and late nights as part of living in Wallan. There was one road in and one road out. We were promised that this was to be fixed in 2019 by the former Morrison government, but we learnt very quickly, within 12 months, that that was part of the car park rort scheme, and it never eventuated. Rural workers and our community workers suffer because of this busy bottleneck. The community of Wallan deserves better—better sleep at night, better time spent with their kids and better quality of life on the whole. That's why we have always been committed—in fact, Labor has been the only party that has gone to the elections committing to the Wallan off-ramps. We've heard a lot about it—we've heard a lot of 'Oh, yes, it's been fully funded'—but only one thing never happened. Money was never delivered. In fact, as we know, former minister Alan Tudge left our community high and dry. As Wallan grows these roads need to nurture growth instead of choking development and leaving regional Australians behind.

It's not just about the future; it's also about protecting people right now. Doctors Gully Road in Doreen has a legacy marked by accidents. As an electorate, every time a parent is called to come down to the scene of a crash we are reminded of the change that wasn't made.

Under the Albanese Labor government we are seeing the measures that we have waited so long for come to fruition. Anti-slip asphalt will be laid down, protecting drivers from skidding on slippery roads. Traffic islands will clearly demarcate boundaries, saving drivers and pedestrians alike, particularly around Doreen Primary School. It doesn't stop there. The old Sydney Road bitumen program means that we've now got two entrances into and exits out of Beveridge. We're saving people, sometimes, 45 minutes each way, getting into and out of Beveridge. As this town has grown, no infrastructure was built around it. Then there's the intersection of Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street, stage 2 of the Yan Yean Road project and all of these other projects that go on and on. Darraweit Guim Road and Wellington Street—wherever you look, we're seeing roadworks being done in our community. Part of Victoria is being brought up to speed with the rest of the nation.

Road investment is an investment into the people that travel over them, and Labor is delivering the fair share that's been required. It is clear these projects will save lives, save time and unlock the economic growth that we need. It's more than bitumen bridges; it's about delivering opportunity, safety and balance to communities that have waited for so long.

As we travel into this new parliament I want to reaffirm my faith in the Albanese Labor government's vision in infrastructure across our community. For everyone, including the single mum who has to get up early, they know that they're going to be able to drive their kids to school safely and get there on time.

House adjourned at 19:59