Sydney's future lies in its west.
Our Government knows that Sydney's west is the future to powering this great city and our nation.
That's why we have committed a further $1.9 billion towards 14 new projects and providing additional funding for two existing projects.
The new investment takes the total amount we've invested in Western Sydney to $17.3 billion.
These projects will help underpin the fundamental shift of jobs and growth to Sydney's west.
Western Sydney communities are diverse and growing. It's a great place to earn a living, start a business and raise a family.
These investments are about making sure Western Sydney gets its fair share of infrastructure as it grows.
Labor is proud to represent Western Sydney with 10 members of caucus living and working locally. Every day I hear from them not only the achievements of their constituents and the vibrant community spirit, but the challenges, particularly when it comes to traffic and how this impacts on quality of life.
I want people to get where they need to be faster, and have more time to spend with their kids and loved ones at the end of the day.
We know right now that the traffic is slowing people down. That's why we want to get Western Sydney moving again.
Our new investments include construction projects, as well as planning projects, to ensure we lay the ground work for a pipeline of future road investments, which are properly scoped, designed and costed.
To get this right we need to make sure we're delivering infrastructure for the future.
Our investment will help deliver 14 new projects, including developments on Mamre Road, Elizabeth Drive, Garfield Road East, Memorial Avenue and Appin Road and St Johns Road Intersection upgrade.
We will invest $147.5 million for planning for roads across greater Western Sydney to ensure that road infrastructure can keep pace with a growing population.
We are also investing $20 million to partner with the NSW Government to expand the scope of the South West Sydney Rail planning business case to include extending the line to the Macarthur region.
This investment is on top of the recent opening of the Moorebank Interstate Terminal.
This project will make a huge difference to Western Sydney and save about 3,000 truck journeys a day on Sydney's roads.
It will see some 6,800 more jobs in Western Sydney and save around 110,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. This entire project is running entirely on renewable energy.
Finally, we know Western Sydney International Airport will drive even more economic activity.
It's a long held vision for Western Sydney that is close to my heart - when last in Government as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport I initiated its planning.
Already 73 per cent of the airport, including the runway and terminal, are complete. We are on track for opening in 2026 - meaning more high quality jobs and easier access to domestic and international travel.
We want to see a future made in Australia and having the key infrastructure in place will play a huge role in supporting more good, well-paying Aussie jobs.
The hard work we undertook to clean up the mess in the infrastructure pipeline means there is room to ensure current projects can be delivered and plan for future projects.
My Government understands Western Sydney, because for many of my team that is where they grew up, live, work and raise their families.
I am proud to support the people of Western Sydney and deliver the roads and rail lines they need and deserve.
We are backing Western Sydney because we know it's a great place to live, work and grow and we want to see it keep on powering the nation.
This opinion piece was first published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, 7 May 2024.
