Both our state and federal MPs have voiced major concern that the Federal Government must continue to honour the 80:20 current funding model for the upgrade of the Pacific Highway.
The pre-election promises of the NSW National Party and the Federal Labor Party mean nothing if either party walks away from their pledge to complete the Pacific Highway upgrade by 2016, according to Independent Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams also agrees that the upgrade must go ahead to save lives.
“Debate in the NSW Parliament is about preparing the groundwork for what will be the greatest act of betrayal against North Coast residents – the breaking of a promise to complete the Pacific Highway upgrade by 2016,” Mr Oakeshott said.
“This manufactured kicking, screaming and complaining about highway funding should be a warning bell for North Coast residents – we are being softened up by political parties, who now realise the money for this 2016 bipartisan promise must now appear in the four-year estimates, beginning with this year’s budget in May.
“The Federal Labor Party says that, in 2004, former Prime Minister John Howard made the agreement with NSW that the Pacific Highway would be funded 50:50 – an agreement confirmed by NRMA CEO and former Port Macquarie MP Wendy Machin in media interviews last month. I am therefore assuming the federal government has put $3.5 billion on the table for the $7 billion needed to complete the work in the next four years.
“The State National Party says that, when they came to office in 2011, the actual funding split was 84:16, and that they think a fairer split for the next four years would be an 80:20 model. I can only assume they are therefore offering $1.4 billion over the coming four years, as a 20 per cent share of the $7 billion bill.
“If the highway upgrade is to be completed by 2016, as promised by both the Nationals and Labor, then the dispute over funding leaves $2.1 billion unaccounted for.
“No broken promise could be more important to North Coast residents than denying funds to upgrade the Pacific Highway, an upgrade promised now for the past decade,” Mr Oakeshott said. Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams has told State Parliament the Federal Government must continue to honour its highway promise.
Mrs Williams said, “To get the job done takes money and plenty of it. As part of the 2011-12 State Budget, the New South Wales Government announced a $1 billion investment towards this project.
“But to reach our goal, the Federal Government must continue to show its commitment to the funding arrangements that are currently in place, that is, an 80:20 split until the project is completed. To change the rules halfway through the game to a 50:50 split is totally unacceptable,” Mrs Williams said.
“This Government makes no apologies for wanting to get the Pacific Highway upgrade completed by 2016, not just for the Premier’s family but for every family in New South Wales and every family in Australia,” Mrs Williams said.
