Kerry Bartlett (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday during members’ 90-second statements I made a brief reference to the announcement by the Prime Minister last Friday in Bathurst that the federal government will fund $10 million for some initial planning for a Bells Line expressway to link the central west of the state to Sydney and the Sydney market. I would like this evening to elaborate somewhat on the comments I made yesterday.

This is the biggest single issue that has been brought to my attention in the new part of my electorate in those towns west of the Great Dividing Range. One of the overwhelming issues for people there is the need for safer, speedier and more appropriate access to Sydney. I have got to confess that I have been converted in the last six months, in the time I have been interacting with residents in that new part of my electorate, from perhaps being a sceptic to someone who is strongly convinced of the merits of the case for this expressway link between the west and Sydney—and I am not the only one. I have to convey to the House the comments of the NRMA in response to the Prime Minister’s announcement. The NRMA has come out strongly endorsing the announcement. In a press release from the NRMA’s regional director, Mr Graham Blight, he said:

Research commissioned by the Bells Line Expressway Group found communities along the state’s central west and western Sydney would benefit if the Bells Line Expressway were built.

The Bells Line Expressway will provide a major economic boost for Sydney and western New South Wales, and ease the population pressure on Sydney by making housing west of the mountains more accessible to employment in western Sydney.

The new expressway would save lives because the Bells Line of road is currently one of the most dangerous in Australia.

He goes on:

Group members and the NRMA have been urging the state and federal governments to build the Bells Line Expressway while considering environmental concerns.

The Prime Minister has listened to the concerns of motorists and this is a proactive step towards dealing with some of the long-term population and economic issues western Sydney will face.

We urge the New South Wales government to match his commitment.

Those are the words of the NRMA’s regional director. One of the other directors of the NRMA, former Labor Party federal member Gary Punch, said:

The Bells Line Expressway would be a fantastic resource for towns and suburbs across the Blue Mountains because it would free them from highly dense traffic snarls, especially on weekends.

Western Sydney families will also benefit as the expressway would open up a wealth of recreation activities in the central west for those seeking to get out of Sydney on weekends.

This funding commitment today takes us one step closer to this goal.

The point is this: there are substantial and significant benefits in this proposal. First is the improved access to people and businesses in the west—people living in places such as Lithgow, Bathurst, Orange, Cowra, Dubbo, Parkes et cetera—and speedier and safer access to the west.

Secondly, in respect of greater safety, the Bells Line of Road per vehicle per kilometre has one of the worst traffic records of any major road in the state. As well as improving safety on that route, it would improve safety on the Great Western Highway by getting some of the heavy vehicles off the Great Western Highway and out of the Blue Mountains, part of my electorate. So it would be a boost for people in the Blue Mountains.

Thirdly, it would boost economic development in the west of the state. We hear a lot about decentralisation and we hear a lot about business development. One of the major impediments to that development, to decentralisation, is a lack of transport access to the city—with vehicles having to access multiple changes in speed zones, slowing down to 40 kilometres an hour et cetera. The economic development that would come as a result of this development would boost jobs in the west. The Western Research Institute attached to Charles Sturt University said that there would be a payback within 10 years of the investment in this road. It would be a major boost to development. Fourthly, it would ease population pressures in Western Sydney.

The time for politics has passed. I call on the state government to support this proposal and to match the federal government’s $10 million funding. I call on my federal Labor opponent to stop playing politics and to match this proposal. In conclusion, I congratulate the Bells Line Expressway Group. I particularly congratulate Ian Armstrong for the work that he has done over many years, other members of BLEG including Ian Macintosh, and also CENTROC for their determination to push forward with this proposal. (Time expired)