Thursday, 7 April 2022

Melton road infrastructure

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (18:19): (1881) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. On Monday the City of Melton launched its Fix Our Roads campaign, noting that Melton has been ignored for far too long by the Andrews Labor government. This is in contrast to the federal budget last week, which delivered $740 million for the western interstate freight terminal in Truganina, within the City of Melton; $920 million for the outer metropolitan ring, the connection into the western interstate freight terminal; and more than $1 million for the city from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

Meanwhile at state level it is not just distant, rural and regional Victoria this government neglects, Melton is outside the tram tracks too. While the Premier sports his hard hat, spruiking a handful of over-time and over-budget big-ticket items, thriving Melton is kneecapped by his government’s failure to deliver nuts-and-bolts infrastructure. At the city’s campaign launch, the Labor member for Melton, Steve McGhie, in a spat of victim blaming, scorned drivers for the state of congestion on the Western Highway, absolving the Andrews government of their fundamental responsibility to provide safe and efficient roads.

Melton’s demand is simple: cut congestion and make roads safe. They want the government to upgrade the Western Highway, including at Bulmans, Ferris, Mount Cottrell and Paynes roads; duplicate and upgrade the Melton Highway; duplicate Christies Road; duplicate and upgrade Hopkins Road; duplicate the Robinsons Road–Westwood Drive–Calder Park Drive corridor; and build the Calder Park interchange. I have previously visited the councillors of Melton and discussed the issue and have today been fully briefed by our excellent candidate for Melton, Graham Watt, who attended this event this week.

Mr Finn interjected.

Mrs McARTHUR: A very good man doing a great job out there in Melton—unlike Steve McGhie—doing a fantastic job. As Graham asks:

Will the government accept responsibility for the state of our roads and provide the funds needed to upgrade the Western Highway in the Electorate of Melton …

The action I seek is for the minister to reject his Labor colleague’s victim blaming and to join Graham and me in visiting Melton and experiencing the congestion residents face on a daily basis. While the minister is on the job he could sign the petition at www.fixourroads.com.au.