Shadow Minister for Transport Jodi McKay and Member for Macquarie Fields, Anoulack Chanthivong today confirmed that a Daley Labor Government will put commuters first by further expanding its commitment to car parking at Edmondson Park Station.
Ms McKay said a Daley Labor Government would match any commitment by the Liberal Government to provide additional car parking spaces at Edmondson Park Station, in an effort to help ease south west Sydney commuters’ ongoing woes.
Ms McKay said the Liberal Government had consistently ignored the commuter car parking crisis in south west Sydney and the Premier’s recent announcement to build a multi-storey car park at Edmondson Park smacked of a desperate Government playing desperate politics.
She said the Liberal Government was not to be trusted when it came to delivering vital infrastructure for growing communities in south west Sydney, and pointed to a broken 2015 election promise by the Liberal Government to deliver 450 additional commuter parking spaces at Campbelltown Station.
NSW Labor was first to acknowledge the commuter car parking crisis, committing $18 million to build a multi-storey commuter carpark at Edmondson Park Station back in April 2018. This followed months of campaigning by local MPs and the community, due to the inaction of the Liberal Government despite them being aware of the issue for the past two years.
State and Federal MPs Anoulack Chanthivong and Anne Stanley along with Labor candidate Charishma Kaliyanda have long been advocating for an urgent upgrade of the Edmondson Park commuter carpark, launching petitions calling for immediate action.
NSW Labor announced in November last year that it would partner with a Shorten Federal Labor Government to invest $16 million to build an additional 300 car parking spots at Leppington Train Station – another area feeling the chronic strain of overdevelopment and too little infrastructure.
The car parking crisis has become so dire at Edmondson Park Station that people have resorted to parking illegally and risking a fine, with people at their wit’s end to find a carpark within walking distance to the station.
Despite thousands of new homes being built in the area and the NSW Government collecting millions in stamp duty, the NSW Liberal Government has continually failed to act when it comes to matching infrastructure and making public transport accessible.
The chronic commuter car parking problem across south west Sydney is only set to worsen with the Liberal Government’s overdevelopment agenda continuing unabated, including a current proposal to increase the number of dwellings from 440 to 3286 in Edmondson Park.
NSW Labor’s latest announcement recognises the urgent need to restore fairness for the people of south west Sydney and commit to long overdue infrastructure.
Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Transport, Jodi McKay
“A Daley Labor Government will put people and commuters first by investing in more commuter car parking at Edmondson Park Station to help alleviate commuters’ ongoing woes.
“The commuter car parking crisis at Edmondson Park is not new. The Liberal Government’s inaction on this issue over the past four years has been appalling and a last-ditch attempt to salvage votes is nothing short of a desperate Government staring down the ballot box.
“Whether it’s free public transport for children, fare refunds for late trains or new commuter carparks at Edmondson Park or Leppington, Labor will make your commute just that little bit easier.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Macquarie Fields, Anoulack Chanthivong
“I welcome and applaud Labor’s further commitment to expanding commuter car parking at Edmondson Park, which is desperately needed.
“Local commuters have endured years of inaction by this Liberal Government, which has failed to deliver the infrastructure to support our rapidly growing community.
“But don’t be fooled by shallow promises from this incompetent Government. The same Liberal Government that puts developers and profits before people and wants to unleash high-rise monstrosities in your neighbourhood, leading to more overcrowding, more congestion and a diminished quality of life.
“I have been fighting for more commuter car parking across my electorate for years and calling for the Liberal Government to Stop the Squeeze. It’s time that commuter carparks were no longer battle grounds. Labor’s commitment to more commuter car parking will deliver a fair go for commuters and a fair go for my community.”
