Macquarie Fields MP Anoulack Chanthivong has slammed the Liberal Government’s 2018-19 State Budget, saying the urgent needs of his constituents have once again been ignored.
“This Liberal Budget fails to deliver on the most pressing issues for my constituents,” Mr Chanthivong said.
“Residents constantly contact me about the lack of commuter car parking at all our local stations and yet the Liberal Government can only manage a measly $150,000 to ‘investigate’ more parking at Edmondson Park?
“I have been championing a new commuter car park at Edmondson Park for years – helping to secure an $18 million commitment from NSW Labor. Whilst I’m glad the Liberal Government is finally listening to me, they’ve fallen well short of providing what’s actually needed.”
Mr Chanthivong pointed out the Liberal Government collected more than $117 million in stamp duty between April 2017 and January 2018 from families in the Macquarie Fields electorate.
“We pay our fair share, we expect our fair share in return,” he said.
“This Budget is a woeful attempt by the Liberal Government to pretend it cares for the hard-working families in south-west Sydney. But my constituents won’t be fooled. The fact is the Liberals have been neglecting our area for years and this Budget continues their atrocious track record.”
Mr Chanthivong said money allocated to the upgrade of Campbelltown Road was too little, too late.
“The upgrade of Campbelltown Road should have been completed before people started moving in to Bardia, Willowdale and Edmondson Park.
“Now drivers will have to ensure the same pain they felt on Narellan Road – stuck in horrendous traffic for years as the Government tries to play catch-up with essential infrastructure.”
Mr Chanthivong said this Budget failed the most basic of tests: fairness.
“Where’s the fairness when Macquarie Fields station is not upgraded with a lift?” he said.
“Where’s the fairness when there are no funds allocated to improving Macquarie Fields police station or to returning the life-saving Bronto fire truck to St Andrews?
“Where’s our fair share Treasurer?”
