During last July’s federal election Labor promised to spend $50 million to fix once and for all Appin Road, all the way from Campbelltown to Wollongong.
Just one day later the Turnbull Government announced that if re-elected it would match Labor’s promise.
But eight months after winning the July 2 election the government is being taken to task because it has not said anything about its Appin Road commitment.
The two Labor politicians whose electorates cover Appin Road, Sharon Bird (Cunningham) and Dr Mike Freelander (Macarthur) have now called on the government to get a move on this vital project.
Dr Freelander said that Appin Road was continuing to kill and injure people.
“We are about to have another 60,000 people between Campbelltown and Appin and we need a safe road that can deal with that increase in population,’’ Dr Freelander said.
“There was a bi-partisan commitment at the last election to fund an upgrade for Appin Road but we are still waiting to see any action from the government.
“The time for buck passing from state to federal Liberal governments is long gone.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Malcolm Turnbull needs to stand by the funding commitments he made during the federal election campaign and fix this road.’’[/social_quote]
When the Prime Minister responded to Labor’s announcement at the election, he said that an upgrade was needed not just to improve safety but to also help fast-track the development of thousands of new homes putting downward pressure on housing affordability for Western Sydney families.
Ms Bird said that the re-elected Turnbull Government has to get moving on their commitment to improve safety on the Appin Road.
“While Malcolm Turnbull’s funding announcement was less comprehensive than Labor’s and was targeted at marginal seats in South West Sydney, these improvements to the road were still welcomed by Illawarra commuters and businesses looking to connect into the South West Sydney region.
“We do not want to see a three year wait for these urgent improvements like we saw with the truck stop upgrade at the top of Mt Ousley,’’ Ms Bird said.
