Magazine

GOVERNMENT DELIVERS FOR WESTERN SYDNEY For me - this is PERSONAL

„ MICHELLE ROWLAND

WESTERN Sydney has always been my home. I grew up in Lalor Park, attended St Bernadette’s and played netball at the local Blacktown courts.

That’s why representing Greenway isn’t just political for me – it's personal.

I’ve witnessed decades of neglect and unfair treatment to our region, like when the NSW

Liberal Government unfairly subjected us to the harshest lockdowns last year.

But with the greatest representation of Western Sydney in our Federal Cabinet to date, Western Sydney voices are being heard and the Albanese Government is delivering for our region through the 2022 Budget.

Better Local Living Plan

As Western Sydney continues to grow, with suburbs like Riverstone in my electorate expected to grow by 318% by 2040, we are working to ensure families have sufficient local infrastructure near where they live.

This is where the Greenway Better Local Living Plan comes in. It’s a plan designed by Greenway families, for Greenway families.

Our commitments, as promised prior to the election, include:

Western Sydney - land of opportunity.

New and upgraded play spaces across Schofields, Tallawong, Riverstone and Grantham Farm. • Fencing to make existing play spaces safer in the areas of Parklea,

Seven Hills, Lalor Park, Quakers

Hill and Kings Langley. • A new and exciting community water play area in Schofields for those hot Summer days. • And district scale walking trails in Lalor Park, Quakers Hill and

Grantham Farm to help better connect residents into local active transport networks.

As a mum of two young girls myself, I understand that parents want to provide the very best opportunities for their children.

And these commitments are about improving the overall quality of life for families in Greenway.

Northwest Sydney Roads

Another commitment designed to do just that, is the Northwest Sydney Roads Package.

You don’t have to live in Riverstone to know just how bad congestion is along Northwest Roads like Bandon Road.

The people of Northwest Sydney spend an average of three days of every year commuting.

That’s why the Albanese Government has committed $75M to finalise planning and commence initial construction of Bandon and Richmond Road in the Northwest Growth Corridor.

We are also taking the politics out of infrastructure planning in Western Sydney by establishing an expert panel to look at the region’s needs.

This is an important long-term project for the people of Northwest Sydney. It will create local jobs and improve quality of life for residents who have been crying out for action by the NSW Government for about a decade.

Other Budget 202223 Commitments

This Budget also makes commitments to support Western Sydney jobs, boost skills, and assist with cost-of-living pressures, including: • 180,000 places for fee-free TAFE and vocational education places; • Making childcare cheaper for millions of Australians; • An investment pipeline of $120B in transport infrastructure; • Expanding paid parental leave; • More funding and more staff to slash the visa backlog; and • Improving our disaster resilience and preparedness.

This Government is creating a better future for all, and I look forward to keeping Greenway constituents updated as we deliver on these commitments.

Michelle Rowland is Minister for Communications Federal Member for Greenway. Visit: www. michellerowland.com.au