By Kyra Gillespie
Finally speaking out about Cardinia’s congestion crisis, Labor candidate for Gembrook Michael Galea has vowed to “fight” for level crossing removals and a public transport overhaul if elected next month.
Speaking to the Gazette for the first time on the issue, just 24 days before the state election, Mr Galea said traffic issues are not limited to specific areas and that the whole region needs to be reviewed.
“People across Pakenham have been telling me their concerns about the unsustainable traffic problems we have in town, Racecourse Road in particular. I’ve personally been delayed on these roads countless times,” Mr Galea said.
“Addressing congestion in the area is going to require some major works, but it also needs a comprehensive look at how we move traffic across the whole region, and will require public transport improvements as well.
“If elected, I’ll fight tirelessly for these roads to be fixed and for Cardinia to get its fair share of attention.”
While it does not appear that level crossing removals in Cardinia will be promised in the Andrew’s Labor Government re-election campaign, Mr Galea promised the project would be high on his to-do list.
“Removing the Pakenham level crossings will need to be a priority,” he said.
“Any upgrades which leave the level crossings in place simply aren’t going to cut it.
“Only Labor has a track record of delivering road and rail upgrades in Cardinia, and I will push to see this continue.”
To refresh the minds of voters, Mr Galea touted some of the Labor-funded projects in the area, which include 300 new parking spaces at Cardinia Road Station, upgrades of the Monash Freeway, new primary schools at Officer and Pakenham’s north east, the new Casey Tech School, a new Pakenham ambulance station, expansions to Casey Hospital, building the maintenance depot for Melbourne’s new metro trains in Pakenham, and sports reserve upgrades.
“Further initiatives including abolishing stamp duty to first-home buyers and half-price solar panel installations for owner-occupied households are having a significant impact on Cardinia,” he added.
State Labor campaign commitments to the area include 450 new parking spaces at Pakenham Station, funding for 22 new kinders in the Shire to support three-year-old kinder, duplicating Healesville-Kooweerup Road from the M1 to Kooweerup, putting mental health professionals in every high school, and the upgrading of the Pakenham Health Centre to a community hospital.
The Labor candidate for Bass, Jordan Crugnale, has also been contacted by the Gazette for comment.
