Dr Mike Freelander, the Federal Member for Macarthur, has congratulated the Greater Sydney Commission and local councils in announcing the Western Sydney City Deal yesterday.
“It is heartening to see that recognition has been given to the importance of the north-south rail and of the imperative of public transport in general,” he said.
Dr Freelander said Labor have been campaigning hard for the north-south rail line and its connection to Badgerys Creek Airport.
“While it is pleasing the Turnbull and Berejiklian Coalition governments have finally recognised the need to build a line from St Mary to Badgerys Creek via the airport, their plan includes no link from the Macarthur region to the airport,’’ he said.
Dr Freelander says: “It is disappointing that State and Federal governments will not have the Leppington to Airport rail line open when the airport opens.
“The only firm rail commitment is the northern route from the airport to St Mary’s.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“The City Deal only includes an ‘investigation’ into the full north-south rail link from Schofields to Macarthur and a South West Link to connect Leppington to the Badgerys Creek Airport.”[/social_quote]
“Labor has committed to a rail link from Badgerys Creek Airport to Leppington and the Macarthur to St Mary’s line and I will continue to work for this to happen.”
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic, who signed the deal on behalf of the council, said the Western Sydney City Deal “would contribute to an exciting new future for Campbelltown and Western Sydney’’.
“The deal will provide investment in public transport, including rapid bus services direct to the new Western Sydney Airport from Campbelltown and other locations,” he said.
“The first stage of the north-south rail link will be funded under the plan, and the Federal and State Governments will each contribute $50 million to investigate options for a full rail link from Schofields in the north-west to Macarthur via the new Western Sydney Airport,’’ Cr Brticevic said.
Western Sydney University has also welcomed the official signing of the Western Sydney City Deal, saying it will bring a much needed boost to employment generation, investment attraction and economic development in Western Sydney.
Vice-chancellor, Professor Barney Glover, said Western Sydney University was central to driving the deal’s bold educational, economic and ‘liveability’ objectives.
“Smart cities are connected cities – ones that make the exchange of ideas, research, expertise and enterprise easy,’’ he said.
“Importantly, the deal coincides with the opening of our campus in the Liverpool CBD where teaching has started this week.
“These students, over 4,000 of them across Liverpool, will be critical to supporting the type of innovation the Prime Minister and Premier are looking to see at the Aerotropolis, and throughout the Western Parklands City.
“The deal also aligns exceptionally well with the university’s commitment to a health and medical research facility in Campbelltown,’’ Prof Glover said.
What Dr Freelander has got to realise that until we get a Labor Government any Labor held electorate will be ignored even if it is blinding obvious and in the nations interest. I will be looking with interest where zGladys and Co spend the money from the Snowy other than in proping up Coalition marginal seat. The only interest this mob have is to power and tax cuts to the big end of town
Just look at the upper north shore.. 25-30km from the CBD, thousands of detached homes on big blocks just a short walk to the station, yet the Libs will not even look at increasing density there.