By Xavier Smerdon
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has expressed concerns for the future of Wyndham during a recent visit to her electorate.
Ms Gillard visited the Werribee police station to launch the Christmas Tree Appeal before visiting a local school and then hosting a question and answer forum at the Wyndham Civic Centre.
Speaking about the demise of the Labor Government at last month’s State Election, Ms Gillard said the loss of key promises to the area from local members like Tim Pallas was worrying.
“I am concerned because I know there were a number of really important local promises made here to the community in the West,” Ms Gillard said.
“Premier Baillieu and his team did not make matching promises so I, and of course the local state Labor Members will be pressing that those things be delivered to the West.
“They were promised by Premier Brumby and his Government because they were needed and they’re still needed now and we want to see delivery of them.”
During his election campaign Member for Tarneit, Tim Pallas promised $18 million to build the Duncans Rd Interchange, $7 million to relocate the Hoppers Crossing fire station to Tarneit as well 925 hectares of government land to be released to become a new urban development in the West.
It now looks unlikely that these projects will go ahead.
“You would have seen Premier Baillieu’s public statements which do cause you to worry that we are going to go backwards,” the Prime Minister said.
“We will be continuing to press the Victorian Government to hold up its end in these major reform agendas.
“Now how that is going to play out, I can’t tell you.”
