State Member for Tarneit, Tim Pallas, has expressed disappointment in the lack of provision for roads and public transport in the West from the Napthine Government’s 2013/14 State Budget.

“This Budget does little to address the impact of two and a half years of inaction from this Government in Wyndham,” said Mr Pallas.

In that time, Wyndham’s population has grown by over 25,000 people. The roads are already straining under the resulting pressure and not a single new dollar was spent on addressing this problem.

The only provision for transport in this Budget was the interchange at Sneydes Road, the minimum needed to meet the requirements for the influx of a further 70,000 people in Point Cook West and the East Werribee Employment Precinct. The revenue from land sales for new housing in this area will more than cover the cost of this project.

“The grade separation of the railway crossings at Werribee Street, Cherry Street and Hoppers Crossing are all in the top twenty of the former Department of Transport’s priority list, but have been ignored by this Government, yet again showing the low priority they give to the people of the western suburbs,” said Mr Pallas.

“Residents of Melbourne’s West will now have to spend at least another year coping with at-capacity roads and trains that are either stiflingly full or don’t run at all.

“This budget demonstrates a desire from the Napthine Government to govern for only parts of the state, prioritising East over West and road over rail, and ignoring the growth areas.

“There are no funds for ongoing standard upgrades of existing schools in Wyndham, including Tarneit Senior College and Tarneit P-9, where there is huge growth in enrolments.

“For the third Budget running, Western Metropolitan MP Andrew Elsbury has failed to deliver on his pre-election commitment for Stage 3 of refurbishment initiated under the previous Labor Government at Werribee Secondary College, or action on the Glen Devon site as he has advocated for.

“The Government announced the west would finally see three much needed new schools in this budget, two of which were commitments from the previous Labor Government, but have avoided any specifics in the capital works budget paper, giving no time frame for when our community can expect these schools.

“I acknowledge that the State Government has taken on State Labor’s requests for additional mental health support, although these beds will not be available until 2016.”