Community leaders have described last week’s state budget as a blow to outer north residents.
Whittlesea mayor Mary Lalios said council and community pleas for an interchange at O’Herns Road in Epping North and a Mernda rail extension had been ignored.
No funding was allocated for road and public transport infrastructure in Whittlesea in the budget.
Cr Lalios said more than 8000 people moved into Whittlesea every year, but residents continued to be denied access to jobs, education and services.
“People are facing a daily grind of congested roads and public transport,” she said.
While funding had been allocated to extend the emergency department at Northern Hospital, she regretted that no funding was allocated to improve the road network to accommodate emergency vehicles.
“We desperately need to construct access ramps on the Hume Freeway at O’Herns Road in Epping North and extend Edgars Road from Cooper Street to O’Herns Road,” she said.
Cr Lalios said the council was disappointed the state government had not invested in family violence services in Whittlesea.
Her concerns were echoed by Mill Park MP Lily D’Ambrosio.
“While one new primary school will be built in Mill Park Lakes east, we don’t know when it will start or when it will be finished,” she said. “Meanwhile, there is no extra funding for existing schools that desperately need improvements.”
Ms D’Ambrosio said there was a desperate need for buses near new housing estates in Wollert and Epping North. She said communities that were under threat from fires several months ago were no better off in terms of having alternative roads out of their estates and away from such fires.
Broadmeadows MP Frank McGuire dubbed the budget “cruel” and accused the Napthine government of continuing its political bias and historic neglect of the area.
“In the past two budgets, the Coalition has played a reverse Robin Hood, axing almost $100 million in shovel-ready infrastructure projects in Broadmeadows,” he said.
“It has failed to reinvest in this booming growth area.”
Aurora Community Association secretary Cara Horner said there needed to be more invested into infrastructure to cater for population growth.
“The state government needs to start taking our needs more seriously,” she said.
“People in Melbourne’s outer north continue to be neglected in basic transport, road and facilities needs.”
