Ms McKENZIE (Flinders) (13:51):
Last week my electorate lost $300 million in the government’s infrastructure review. It’s indicative of how hopeless this Labor government is at managing the Australian economy, looking after taxpayers’ money and, indeed, the simple things like being able to count, given it took 200 days to complete a 90-day review.
Flinders lost more infrastructure funding than any other Victorian electorate, and this was not because of any mistake made by my constituents. They had advocated for an overpass at the intersection of the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and Jetty Road for decades. In 2019, the coalition government gave $75 million to start work on an overpass and sound barriers, making it safe for the thousands of cars that go through this intersection every day and the millions who go through it over summer. A fraction of the money has been spent on minor works to make it safe for kids to cross the road on the way to school, but it is nowhere near enough.
I received an email last week from a constituent, Graeme from Capel Sound, who wrote:
Hi Zoe,
Since we moved to Capel Sound in 2003, we recognised the need to fix Jetty Rd, as does most of the Peninsula—we all feel the impact of traffic bottleneck and major delays to vehicle movement.
The recent changes will do naught to address either issue.
… … …
[These] locations will only get worse with the holiday season and warmer weather bringing more attraction to the beach and all else.
Both Federal and State Governments have failed us with lies as you have demonstrated—ultimately they will pay at the ballot box.
But don’t give up the fight.
Rest assured, Graeme, I will not.