Wednesday, 5 February 2025

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (18:14): (1369) My adjournment matter is to the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and I seek the action of the minister to urgently address and duplicate Donnybrook Road. I understand the new Minister for Transport Infrastructure thinks that Donnybrook Road is not a matter for her, even though you have got the member for Yan Yean saying that Major Road Projects Victoria is investigating the duplication of Donnybrook Road. Some say that planning is underway. Still, there is not a single dollar allocated to fix Donnybrook Road.

Donnybrook Road is a misery for many of my constituents, and we saw towards the end of last year the whole state slowed down because of the state of Donnybrook Road. On the Hume Highway the Labor government reduced the speed limit from 100 kilometres an hour to 80 kilometres an hour around Donnybrook Road because of exit congestion. That is because the bridge over the Hume is single lane, and the Donnybrook and Kalkallo side is a single-lane road where they have built tens of thousands of homes on either side of an old farm track. Meanwhile on the Mickleham side of the road, when we were in government we signed a developer contribution plan which enabled the duplication of Donnybrook Road on the Mickleham side, so you have got a lovely four-lane highway on one side of Donnybrook Road – let us call it the Liberal side – and then you have got the other side of Donnybrook Road and the bridge, which is an old farm track with tens of thousands of homes on either side. For the residents living in those homes, many of whom I have spoken to and met with on numerous occasions, life is a misery every morning and afternoon, because it is the worst game of lemmings you have ever seen. That is what this government has done with Donnybrook Road.

I raised Donnybrook Road about 14 times in the chamber last year. I am planning on raising it even more this year until the government finally does something about it. I have been on Donnybrook Road recently, and in fact I have met with residents with our Liberal candidate for Calwell, Usman Ghani, and our great Liberal candidate for McEwen Jason McClintock, who is hot on these issues and advocating for the community on these issues, because Labor has left Donnybrook Road in ruin.

Wendy Lovell interjected.

Evan MULHOLLAND: I know Ms Lovell has advocated as well. Even if you put aside the fact that it is not duplicated, the state of Donnybrook Road, in terms of potholes, is an absolute disgrace. The action I seek is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety to drive out with me to Donnybrook Road at about 8 am or 7:30 in the morning, or at 6:30 in the afternoon, and come with me so you can see why Donnybrook Road needs to be duplicated.