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

The Albanese Labor government is building Australia's future, and there's no better place to see that than in the myriad of road projects that are underway in our communities in McEwen. From the moment Labor came to government in 2022, we were focused on addressing the backlog of road projects and the failures that were left to us when we inherited government. After a decade of absolute neglect from the coalition that delivered more press releases than projects, we are giving our community the fair go that they deserve.

Firstly, let's have a look at Watson Street. Only Labor went to the 2019 and 2022 elections committing to the on-ramps to the Hume Freeway to deliver the southerly exit for both sides of Watson Street. It was only our government that put that forward, and we now have those projects underway in our community. We're seeing the upgrades take shape. It is another example of promise made and a promise kept. I note the patience that many locals have as we do these massive road infrastructure projects as footpaths and lanes are temporarily closed for works, but it isn't an easy task to connect a major highway, and disruptions to the footpaths, townships and railway stations are inevitably part of the process. Every day I drive through the works, and I know that as we deal with the disruption each day we are a step closer to getting this much needed project to completion. It's been great to see the residents rally around our vision for a future which provides better connectivity for our communities. Victoria's Big Build has provided regular shuttle bus services for everyone, including school students, and we're keen to be keeping lane closures to be mostly after hours.

A little bit further to the east of the electorate, I'm proud to report that Yan Yean Road stage 2 upgrade is underway, part of our $437 million commitment to road funding. It's another commitment from the 2022 election. It started in 2024, and it's another example that this Labor government turns plans on a page to a shovel in the ground to an asset to the community. Stage 2 of Yan Yean Road will be transformative for locals, providing easier access and extra lanes to keep traffic flowing. What's more is that we're enhancing the road by protecting also the 500-year-old river red gums that the community was so passionate about keeping. The works around red gums use specialist techniques such as hydroexcavation to ensure the root systems are not damaged. The contractor for the southern section of this project, McConnell Dowell, was appointed in November with works expected to commence in mid-2026. This is again because our government committed to doing this after a decade where there were no major road projects delivered to the seat of McEwen. The Albanese Labor government committed $280 million in funding to this part of the road. Improved safety and reduced travel time are only some of the benefits that will come with its completion.

Only Labor has a track record of investing in McEwen. With over a billion dollars in federal road funding committed across the electorate, we are setting up the region for the decades to come. The investments include $900 million for the Camerons Lane Interchange and northern intermodal precinct, which will be a critical link in Melbourne's northern growth corridor. We are supporting the movement of double stacked container services and trains up and down the east coast and opening the fast-growing suburb of Beveridge. Here Labor has fixed up the mess that was left to us with the Inland Rail, and we're helping our communities flourish by alleviating traffic delays and getting locals to home and work quicker and safer while boosting our local economy.

There is also $855,000 for safety improvements to Windham Street and Queen Street intersection, which has become a dangerous intersection for locals in the community. The safety improvements will include the installation of a roundabout with a semi-mountable island, a raised priority crossing to the south and two raised safety platforms to the east and the north.

There's also $125 million upgrade to the Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street intersection. The funding will deliver a new bridge over the Kalkallo Creek, new safety barriers around the intersection and new lanes through the intersection to deliver better access to the Hume freeway for the communities of Kalkallo and Donnybrook. There is $45 million to fully seal Old Sydney Road to Beveridge, which will provide residents a second exit out of Beveridge besides going onto the already busy Hume freeway.

The future is strong in McEwen because our region—the Mitchell Shire, the City of Whittlesea and the City of Hume—benefits from having a Labor government that is actually there to work for our communities—for parents raising their kids, for travellers passing through and for all the people who live in, work in and love the area. I'm proud to be part of a government that is delivering on its promises. When communities are strong, Australia grows stronger. Labor will continue to deliver for all Australians.