ALBANESE LABOR GOVERNMENT TRIES TO HOODWINK WESTERN SYDNEY - RETURNED INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING THAT WAS CUT BY LABOR IS NOT NEW FUNDING

Following pressure, the Albanese Government has today backflipped on $1.9 billion of infrastructure funding they cut from Western Sydney roads, including in the electorate of Lindsay.

Some of the projects across Western Sydney originally identified and funded by the former Coalition Government as part of the $120 billion 10-year infrastructure pipeline, were cut by the Labor Government, then ‘repackaged’ and today announced as ‘new funding’.

The restoration of funding is welcome but let’s call this out for what it is. The Albanese Labor Government cut funding for roads across Western Sydney. We fought for this funding to be returned. Now, funding has been reinstated because along with the community, we put the pressure on, as did the media. This is not new and exciting money to make Western Sydney Roads better, it is purely the funding we deserve. And we deserve more.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King is expecting Western Sydney to be grateful for the Government reinstating projects she cut. Once again Catherine King is trying to hoodwink the Western Sydney community.

The Minister today has said 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.

One of the projects Labor has announced today, Mulgoa Road – Stage 2, in my electorate of Lindsay, was cut by the Government 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?

The Albanese Labor Government has shown they don’t care about our community, and not listened to the Western Sydney Infrastructure Review Panel. Minister King has refused to reinstate projects that the expert Review Panel listed as a high priority. It’s all just politics for this Government.

The people of Western Sydney are not going to be fooled by this stunt. There is no trust the Albanese Labor Government won’t just break their promise again if they are re-elected.