Private Members Statement
There's no place like home, as they say. Dorothy uttered those famous words in the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz. They have been repeated countless times over the past 82 years.
I would like to state clearly now that my constituents share Dorothy's sentiments. They also know there's no place like home and they only want what is best for their area. Now in the movie, Dorothy and her friends set out on their journey along the yellow brick road to have their dreams and wishes fulfilled.
We all know the movie ends with Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow getting everything they wished for: Dorothy goes home, the Tin Man gets a heart, Lion finds his courage and the Scarecrow gets a brain. If only I was lucky enough out here in the real world to have a Premier and a government that had a heart, courage and the intelligence to give my constituents their fair share.
Alas, my constituents are still left wishing for their most basic needs because in my electorate of Macquarie Fields, the yellow brick road is paved with empty promises by this Liberal Government. And, literally, the M5 and M5 East is paved in tolls to line the pockets of its private operator.
The upcoming State budget is an opportunity for this Government to right the wrongs of the past 10 years. I know the Liberals know how to take care of their own homes because they do it so well in their own electorates. They openly admit to blatant pork‑barrelling just to win votes. What would Toto think?
This Liberal Government continues to ignore the infrastructure needs of south‑west Sydney. Previous budgets have been lacklustre to say the least and my constituents are fuming. Surely, somewhere over the rainbow there must be money for the Macquarie Fields electorate.
Our needs are growing as our population grows, but the investment from this Liberal Government in our community remains at zero. I know this Government has had its head in the sand when it comes to south-west Sydney, so I take this opportunity to remind it of what must be funded.
That includes lifts and accessibility improvements at Macquarie Fields station; construction of a new school in Edmondson Park; extra commuter parking along the railway corridor at Minto, Ingleburn, Macquarie Fields and Glenfield; construction of all 2,000 promised parking spaces at Edmondson Park; school upgrades to combat overcrowding; and the expansion of toll relief for struggling drivers and local small businesses. It is a long list—as long as the yellow brick road.
The question remains: How much money will my electorate see when the Liberal Government unveils its 2021‑22 budget? Hopefully this year there will not be empty pockets to match its empty promises. But I will not hold my breath because if we take a closer look at this Liberal Government we will see that behind the curtains are budget blowouts, pork-barrelling, ICAC hearings, toll mania and unfair overdevelopment. And just like the disappointing wizard, this Liberal Government is full of tricks and deception. Just like the tornado in the Wizard of Oz, this Liberal Government has left a path of destruction and neglect. My constituents are paying the price.
When Dorothy arrives back in Kansas, her family and friends discount her tale and adventure as a dream but Dorothy insists it was real. She insists that she will never run away again and that there is indeed no place like home. My expectations of the upcoming State budget are certainly not dreams. They are based on the reality of my constituents' everyday experiences and expectations. I hope that this Government develops a heart, has some courage and shows some intelligence to deliver for my community and give them their fair share.
