LOCAL Labor MP Pat Conroy said he was disappointed but not surprised that the federal Budget contained no further funding for the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange at Glendale.
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The Member for Charlton said the Budget displayed a “lack of vision” and contained “not a single new major infrastructure investment”.
“Labor funded the Glendale Interchange over three separate Budgets, more than $13 million all up,” Mr Conroy said.
“I’m not surprised there’s no money in this year’s Budget, the Coalition have twice refused Lake Macquarie Council’s applications for further funds and in 2014 they actually cut more than $1 million from it.”
Mr Conroy said when Treasurer Scott Morrison spoke about a range of infrastructure investments in his Budget speech, he was talking about projects that were already promised.
“There is not a single extra dollar of infrastructure funding in this Budget, which includes no funding for Glendale Interchange,” Mr Conroy said.
“This is the first Budget in living memory where there's not a single new major infrastructure investment announced.”
The Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange will be a major connection between Glendale and Cardiff, providing an important transit interchange to meet the future transport needs of the region.
The project will involve the installation of about 2 kilometres of new road, with improved intersections and pedestrian, cycling and bus facilities.
It is being jointly funded by the council, the state government, and the Australian government through the Regional Development Australia Fund.
The first stage of the interchange is almost completed.
For the second stage, it’s estimated that $32 million will be required.
The second stage would involve extending Pennant Street and building a bridge over the rail line.
Lake Macquarie mayor Jodie Harrison said the bridge was the project’s “missing link” between Glendale and the Lower Hunter.
Mr Conroy’s Labor colleague, Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon, said further funding for the interchange was needed, otherwise work on it would stall, and contractors would take their equipment and move on.
“This is the most important infrastructure project in the region and we are getting nothing from Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison for it,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.