Media Release: Response to Melton Council “Fix our Roads” Campaign

Out of the six roads listed by the Melton council only one falls within the Melton Electorate which I represent, that road is the Western Freeway.

I was elected the Member for Melton in November 2018 and I have advocated since then for an upgrade to the Western Freeway.

This road is a part of the National Highway network and as such has some responsibility of the Federal Government. The Western Highway is the second busiest national highway in Australia.

Despite this, the previous Liberal Federal Government never indicated or provided any funding. I have made numerous submissions and will continue to advocate for an upgrade for this vital road.

I am pleased to say that the Albanese Federal Government have committed $10 million for business case for the Western Freeway. I’m hopeful with a new Federal government that we can work together to achieve an outcome for the Western Freeway and like always, I will continue working with Melton City Council.

The State government has over successive Budgets, put money into roads projects in Melton, such as the upgrades for Coburns Road and High Street, money for an intersection at Norton Drive and in the last Budget I was joined by the Minister for Transport for the works duplicating part of the Melton Highway.

I will continue to advocate for Melton like I have been doing since the last election.

This approach has delivered billions of dollars in investment into Melton since I was elected.

I would also hope that the Melton Council would put in as much attention to fixing their own roads, many constituents contact my office with roads issues and overwhelmingly these roads are Council roads. Constituents that use Bulman’s Road near Catholic Regional College have been advocating for upgrades for years, residents in Melton South have been asking for works to improve Exford Road and residents in Thornhill Park can’t access the rest of Melton without huge detours or entering the Western Highway.

Previously I have had a fantastic track record working with Council collaboratively to deliver for Melton.

This collaborative approach has seen record investment into Melton through multiple State Government income streams.

I look forward to resuming a more collaborative approach with Council looking for real solutions to issues rather than advocacy attempts through the media.