In a devastating blow to critical infrastructure on the Mornington Peninsula, the Federal Labor Government has ripped out over $300 million and cancelled the Jetty Road Overpass and noise barriers along the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and cancelled the Frankston to Baxter rail upgrade.
Federal MP for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, said it was a disgrace that the Mornington Peninsula has again been neglected by Labor.
“The most called-for road upgrade on the Mornington Peninsula is the Jetty Road overpass and this completely out-of-touch government has cancelled the project and cut the funding”, Ms McKenzie said.
“It’s an absolute insult to the residents of the Mornington Peninsula, who have pleaded with State and Federal Governments to have this project completed.”
In 2019, the Coalition Government committed $75 million for the Jetty Road Overpass and noise mitigation works along the Mornington Peninsula Freeway. Prior to this, the Coalition Government committed $225 for the extension of the metro rail line from Frankston to Baxter.
Ms McKenzie said the cutting of the rail funding was a visionless stunt and an embarrassing about-face by the Albanese Government.
“To cut these kinds of projects in an already underfunded region, demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of community needs and a disgusting lack of respect for the Peninsula.”
“The Prime Minister himself claimed he supported the Frankston to Baxter rail upgrade and promised to fund it, but he has lied to and deceived the Mornington Peninsula community.”
In July 2018, the Prime Minister as the then Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, committed to building the Frankston to Baxter extension claiming that, “a Labor Government would move quickly to deliver the much-needed Frankston to Baxter Rail Upgrade”.
The Labor candidate and now Member for Dunkley, Peta Murphy MP, stated “only a Federal Labor Government will make sure that the extension of the line to Baxter, benefiting residents in Frankston and the Peninsula, becomes a reality”.
The cuts come on top of the $8 million dollars that was cut from the Centre for Coasts, Environment, and Climate at Point Nepean in the October 2022 Federal Budget which was also funded by the previous Coalition Government.
