Thursday, 12 September 2024

Somerton Road–Fleetwood Drive, Greenvale

Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (19:10): (1166) My adjournment is for the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and I once again seek the action of the minister to provide an urgent – this time urgent – update on the works at the intersection of Fleetwood Drive and Somerton Road in Greenvale. Many locals have shared their frustrations since 2021 at the works between Major Road Projects Victoria, the Department of Transport and Planning, Hume City Council, CivilworX and Jemena, all involved in works that have a quite tricky array of companies and departments to work through. Locals have had enough of the blame game between them all, between this cabal, and just want answers. I have visited the site and been given a tour of the development, and I share my constituents’ frustration at the delays and share their passion for seeing this much-needed intersection opened to ease congestion in the area. Trust me, my office is just around the corner from this intersection and I see the traffic on a daily basis.

I previously urged the utility company Jemena to hand over the certificates of completion and compliance for the site. This was required due to a lack of urgency or interest from this Labor state government and their department officials, and my advocacy and prodding seem to have worked and have led to them handing over the certificates. Once again we find ourselves in a similar predicament born of Labor incompetence and intransigence. The developer, Solovey, advised me that so far only one of eight milestone dates has been met by the department, with the other seven due in the next six days. I wonder whether that will happen, whether they will meet that timeline. I have just been advised this afternoon that the latest delays involve concerns around state government officials not meeting commitments and due dates for inspections and other requirements.

This is of deep concern to my community, who have waited long enough for this project to be completed and for Fleetwood Drive to be opened. Locals in Greenvale want this intersection opened right now. They want local roads available and easy access. To think that these ongoing delays could be down to officials in the final stages shirking deadlines and allowing the project to drift is unacceptable to me and it is unacceptable to my constituents. It has been closed for long enough. People just want Fleetwood Drive open, for the community to be able to get home sooner and for traffic to be reduced. We know that it is connected with the $222 million upgrade of Mickleham Road – for 1.6 kilometres, by the way, which makes it the most expensive road duplication in the state. I seek the action that the minister provide me and my constituents in Greenvale with an update.