Motions Accorded Priority - Consideration
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields) (15:33): My motion deserves to be accorded priority, because the needs of south-west Sydney motorists are a priority for Labor, but as we all know, this Liberals and Nationals Government does not care about the unfair treatment it continues to dish out to people in our area. Anyone who has driven on the M5 will say that it is a frustrating experience with traffic crawling at a snail's pace for no obvious reason and a breakdown can cause extensive delays. There is nothing quite like an M5 traffic jam to raise frustration levels. But to make the M5 experience even worse, this Government now wants to extend the M5 toll and put its hands in the pockets of south-west Sydney motorists until at least 2060, when the great-grandkids of some of today's motorists will still be paying the toll, a toll that should have been paid off by 2026. Shafting and short-changing the people of south-west Sydney is a hallmark of this Government. The M5 toll extension is nothing more than a greedy cash grab, plain and simple. This cash grab is at the expense of south-west Sydney motorists.
Their commutes are long, their budgets are stretched, their wages are flat, their jobs are being casualised and their bills are going through the roof. What is this Government's answer to make life easier for the people of south-west Sydney? An M5 toll extension of more than $2,000 a year for motorists doing the weekly grind, when the toll should have been paid off by 2026. In return for this privilege, motorists get stuck in the M5 car park, adding to a long and hard day. For that, they get nothing in return—zilch. How much more unfair can this Government get? This is appalling treatment and shows the contempt this Government has for the people of south-west Sydney, who want their fair share and a fair go. The M5 extension cash grab is so that the Premier can fund her North Shore pet projects, which will be paid for by south-west Sydney motorists who will never use those projects. The toll is designed so that the Minister can fatten up profits as part of a sweetheart deal for WestConnex. This is appalling, inflicting pain on south-west Sydney with indifference.
Where are the Liberal members for south-west Sydney? Where is the member for Camden? Where is the member for Holsworthy? They have been silenced and cannot be heard. We have seen Where's Wally? with his red shirt and aqua trousers, but now we have "Where's Camden?" and "Where's Holsworthy?" on the M5 toll. This is nothing short of a greedy cash grab by a government that inflicts pain on south-west Sydney, without care or concern. It is pure greed.
