SENATOR THE HON BRIDGET MCKENZIE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LEADER OF THE NATIONALS IN THE SENATE
SENATOR FOR VICTORIA
MELISSA MCINTOSH MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR WESTERN SYDNEY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR ENERGY AFFORDABILITY
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR LINDSAY
Following pressure from the Coalition, the local community and media, the Albanese Government has today backflipped on $1.9 billion of infrastructure funding cut from Western Sydney in Labor’s Infrastructure Review late last year.
Projects across Western Sydney originally identified and funded by the former Coalition Government as part of the $120 billion 10-year infrastructure pipeline have been “repackaged” by Labor and announced as “new funding”.
The Shadow Minister for Western Sydney, Melissa McIntosh said the Aerotropolis and local communities have been desperate for critical infrastructure upgrades after the Federal Labor Government slashed billions of dollars from the region.
“I have been fighting for Western Sydney residents to ensure the Government restored these much-needed infrastructure upgrades since Labor announced the cuts last year,” Mrs McIntosh said.
“Infrastructure Minister Catherine King is expecting Western Sydney to be grateful for the Government reinstating funding she cut. Once again Catherine King is trying to hoodwink the Western Sydney community.
“The Minister said today the Government was focused on fixing up “the mess”, but it was Labor who created this mess in the first place. These cuts, delays and confusion also come at a financial cost to the Australian taxpayer.
“The Albanese Government has done nothing but remove funding and provide uncertainty to almost 3 million Western Sydney residents over the past 7 months.
“One of the projects Labor has announced today, Mulgoa Road – Stage 2, in my electorate of Lindsay, was cut by Labor following its Infrastructure Review. Today’s re-funding announcement comes with around half the money cut. Where is the rest of the funding for this project?
“Labor has shown they don’t care about our community, and have not listened to the Western Sydney Infrastructure Review Panel. The Government has refused to reinstate projects that the expert Review Panel listed as a high priority. It’s all just politics for this Labor Government,” Mrs McIntosh said.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Senator Bridget McKenzie said after two years of cancelling, cutting and delaying infrastructure projects across greater Western Sydney, the Albanese Government has been forced to announce new funding on the eve of the 2024 Budget.
“Unfortunately, the funding announced today does not make up for the $2.5 billion worth of projects cancelled by Labor across greater Western Sydney, and it will not make up for the lost two years,” Senator McKenzie said.
“Not only did Labor cut projects, it cancelled planning projects – which means more projects will not even be started.
“Today’s funding announcements by the Albanese Government raise serious questions about the outcomes of Labor’s Review of the Infrastructure Pipeline.
“Labor must release the full report of the Independent Review of the Infrastructure Investment Program so Australian’s can see the extent to which the Albanese Government politicised the Review to cut projects where they should not have,” Senator McKenzie said.