Transcript - 2GB with Mark Levy

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Western Sydney
Federal Member for Lindsay

Transcript – 2GB with Mark Levy

4 April 2025

E&OE

Mark Levy:

Melissa, good morning to you.

Melissa McIntosh:

Good morning from Parramatta.

Mark Levy:

Well, it's obviously a big day today. Both leaders out in Western Sydney which is being referred to as a key battleground ahead of the election. What can we expect from the Opposition Leader? Melissa, thanks.

Melissa McIntosh:

Today our announcement really is about reversing the hoodwinking that the Albanese Labor Government has tried to do to the people of Western Sydney. They've ripped around $2 billion of infrastructure funding away. This is on our roads, our critical roads. And if any of your listeners are from Western Sydney and I reckon there's a lot, they know how bad traffic is. So, we're putting funding back into some of those really important roads right now around the airport which opens in a year's time, we have pothole roads. Roads that have potholes that are going to rake major freight in a year's time. So, we're investing in that. We're also investing in road upgrades around Pennant Hills Road to make it safer for the local community. Into Blacktown in Old Windsor Road, we've committed to upgrading that road and also in South West Sydney. So the package that we're announcing is about all of Western Sydney because for the last three years the people of Western Sydney have been forgotten about. They've been disregarded and really Albo's not showing much care at all.

Mark Levy:

Well, what's it going to cost you, Melissa?

Melissa McIntosh:

The cost to reverse the cuts and the ripping away from people. It's not cheap. Road infrastructure is not cheap.

Mark Levy:

What’s it cost?

Melissa McIntosh:

We've got $1.7 billion into Western Sydney. $200 Today's announcement is million to fix our critical roads that every person that drives the car in Western Sydney sits in traffic every day where heavy car users across Western Sydney. And this is about ensuring that we have the

infrastructure we need so people can get to work, trainees can get to work, families can get their kids to school back again safer and quicker.

Mark Levy:

Alright, how important is Western Sydney to the Coalition's election strategy. I just mentioned it's obviously a key battleground area for both of the major parties. Is the message cutting through from Mr. Dutton with the people you're talking to in Sydney's west?

Melissa McIntosh:

I was born in Western Sydney and I've lived here all my life. And the policies that we're putting to the people of Western Sydney are really practical policies to help improve the cost of living pressures they're now facing. So reducing the fuel excise in half. Twenty-five cents cheaper every time you go to fill up your car per litre. This makes a big difference to people that have to drive their cars. Also bringing down the cost of energy. I go to manufacturers across Western Sydney, the heartland of manufacturing this country, and they're closing their doors. They just can't afford to keep Aussie made in this country because of high energy prices. And we've got people that have double incomes lining up at food banks right across Western Sydney because they can't afford to feed their families. This is not right. It's not on and the policies we're putting to the people are to make their lives better.

Mark Levy:

I want to ask you about policies left behind. I want to ask you, Melissa, about migration because there's a story today in the Telegraph. Nearly three in four people in Western Sydney want less migration. Four in ten households in Western Sydney feel they're worse off than a year ago. How do you plan on fixing that?

Melissa McIntosh:

You're absolutely right. We're feeling the pressures of high migration on Western Sydney, including our infrastructure. So, our announcement today is about making people's lives easier when they have to drive because we have so much traffic in Western Sydney. So that is one policy alone around improving our road network so people can get around easier. It's really important. And housing is another one. People come to Western Sydney for a better life for their families. It is a wonderful migrant population. It is where people want to be. They choose to be there. But our policies need to be for the people of Western Sydney first and foremost and right now they are being let down by the Albanese Government and just - the cutting road funding says it all. We're also investing in an upgrade to Rouse Hill Hospital.

Mark Levy:

Melissa, look, I asked you about migration. I don't know what roads have got to do with migration. What do you plan on doing to fix migration? Are you willing to cut migration?

Melissa McIntosh:

Of course, and Peter has announced that. But of course roads have to do with migration because you've got higher population growth in the outer suburbs in places like Western Sydney, putting pressure on infrastructure. It is all interconnected and yes, Peter has made it clear our plan to ease the pressures.

Melissa McIntosh:

Alright, you're the Shadow Minister for Communications. The ABC chair, Kim Williams is calling on the government for more funding. What do you think about that?

Melissa McIntosh:

I've had a good constructive conversation with Kim Williams already and I said that if we're lucky enough to be in government, we'll work productively together. From my perspective, I'm absolutely for fair and balanced journalism in our public broadcaster and that's something I'll be focused on.

Mark Levy

Do they deserve $1.1 billion a year, the ABC?

Melissa McIntosh:

That'll be something that we'll be looking into if we're in government.

Mark Levy:

Do you have a position on it, though? You're the Shadow Communications Minister.

Melissa McIntosh:

Well, if I had the privilege of being the Communications Minister, I'd have the full scope of a department who can get you across the detail of every line item. Of course, we're invested in ensuring there's no waste across all government departments and of course that would be the ABC as well.

Mark Levy:

With respect, Melissa, with respect, I think most people listening this morning would suggest that $1.1 billion for the ABC is a hell of a lot of money and I think given in a matter of weeks, you could become the Communications Minister. Would you slash funding to the ABC?

Melissa McIntosh:

We won't be slashing funding. We'll be ensuring that Jacinta Price will be put to work, having a thorough investigation of all funding across government and of course across our public broadcaster as well.

Mark Levy:

Alright, well, it's a big day for Western Sydney. Let's focus on that because you're right, there's a lot of people in Western Sydney who are battling a cost of living crisis and what I said yesterday is we need the Coalition out there talking about the impact that the fuel excise will have, especially for tradies. We've got a lot of tradies who live in Western Sydney. We've got to build more houses, we've got to build more roads, we've got to make sure people can get around this wonderful city nice and easy. And I think this announcement today will be welcome. Melissa, thanks for joining us and good luck with the campaign ahead.

Melissa McIntosh:

Thanks very much.

Mark Levy:

That's Melissa McIntosh, Shadow Minister for Western Sydney once more.

ENDS