Wednesday, 31 May 2023

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (13:01): (222) My question is to the Treasurer. Since I last spoke on and about Mickleham Road, both the federal and state Labor governments have unfortunately put this project in limbo. As we know, the federal government announced a cutting task force – sorry, I mean actually an infrastructure review into critical projects committed to by the former Liberal government. Now the state government has fallen into line by announcing only stage 1 of this project through the 2023–24 financial year. Any further funding for stage 1 of this project is now ‘to be confirmed’ – entirely dependent on the federal government’s review – with stage 2 not even scoring a mention in the budget. This brutal state Labor budget is already making life harder for people of Greenvale, Yuroke, Mickleham and Craigieburn. The government cannot continue to take the micky with Mickleham Road. Therefore, will the Treasurer provide residents with certainty that stage 1 will be funded in its entirety, and will the Treasurer commit to stage 2 of this important project?