By Laura Wakely
BERNIE Finn has spent four of his five years holding one of the Western Metropolitan region seats, in Opposition.
This week marked a year since the election of the Liberal MP and the Baillieu Government.
So what have they achieved?
“It’s certainly been the busiest year of my life,” Mr Finn said.
He and Western Metropolitan MP Andrew Elsbury have a “comprehensive list” of issues to address in the West, which Mr Finn said they are steadily working through.
But, according to the man himself, it’s all about “priorities”, like making sure the Regional Rail Link was on track for completion.
Other big ticket items include an increase in policing.
“One of the great beefs people have had out here (in the West) for a very long time is that we haven’t had enough police,” Mr Finn said.
“Places like Werribee, Sunshine, Williamstown… have suffered for a long time.
“There are places… without a flak jacket and a submachine gun you just wouldn’t go there.
Mr Finn said the police academy is now “bursting at the seams” with new recruits, including protective service officers (PSOs) which will guard suburban stations.
There are also smaller projects he’s proud of, such as a recycling machine part-funded by the Government in Hobsons Bay to help clean up Altona Beach.
But there’s plenty left on the to-do list.
Parents of autistic children are waiting to hear more about the Baillieu Government’s promise to fund a $4 million P-12 autistic school in the West, and elderly residents in Werribee are waiting to hear if the Government will do anything about their deteriorating public housing.
Meanwhile, the Western Hospital, which was largely ignored in the Government’s first budget, is struggling with a growing number of patients and lack of funding.
The latter issue is one that has found a place at the top of the list.
“Western Hospital is one of my key priorities, that place needs to be… well it almost needs to be bulldozed and started again,” Mr Finn said.
“In Footscray, the dental health clinic there.
“You’ve also got in the outer suburbs, in Werribee and Caroline Springs… the lack of infrastructure, the lack of roads and lack of public transport.
“That worries me a lot and that’s something we have to address.”
He said the first budget was about election promises, while next year’s budget will be the “next step”.
