MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

Mr GEE (Calare) (16:08): This topic of public importance that we are discussing in this House today regarding public assets and the ownership of public assets is an important one. This afternoon I wish to speak about a really important public asset in the electorate of Calare: the Great Western Highway. As we know, the Great Western Highway has been closed for many months at a bridge called the Convict Bridge, which was built by a convict chain gang in 1832.

Surprise, surprise—about 200 years later, that bridge failed. There is negligence on the part of successive governments over this closure and over the long-term failure to deliver genuine high-speed access between the Central West of New South Wales and Sydney. As members of this House will know, for many months I have been advocating for federal funding for the fix on the Convict Bridge, for an ongoing business support package and also for a longer term solution for high-speed access in and out of the Central West.

In fact, in question time today, I asked the Prime Minister if there would be federal funding for more lanes over the closed Convict Bridge on the Great Western Highway and an ongoing business support package, because we know that the pressure has been building on the state and federal governments over this issue. I was very surprised this afternoon when local media outlets started contacting me with respect to a media alert for tomorrow, when apparently an announcement is going to take place at Mount Victoria—not in the Calare electorate but in the electorate of Macquarie—regarding the Great Western Highway.

I have to tell you it is very troubling that so much time and effort and advocacy could go into an issue and the government could then rush out this announcement, whatever it is, straight after I've asked a question on this in question time. It defies belief. I would ask the government: where is the professional respect and courtesy over this?

Our electorate is being smashed to pieces by this closure. Our businesses are going broke. It's taking our kids hours to get to school.

Yet, instead of engaging and telling us what's going on, you decide you're going to make an announcement through the media tomorrow. I find that very disappointing. Our communities are being put through hell because of this highway closure.

I think the government is playing political games with it by holding back this announcement and just doing it in a Labor seat with only state and federal Labor members present. I think that that is pretty appalling. You well know the pain and suffering that our communities have been going through, yet you decide to rush out this announcement without one skerrick of consultation with the local members or with the communities who are living this.

I think that's really poor form, and I would expect better from a government that has the means to actually help our communities, our businesses and also those people affected by the tens of thousands of extra traffic movements going through Lithgow that are making life hell. Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting— Mr GEE: Yes, you can sit there and heckle, but you have no idea.

Come out and see it for yourself. It's all very well for you to sit there and make jokes about it, but that is disgraceful. The fact— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Claydon ): Please direct your comments through the chair.

Please stop interjecting. Let's try and have a respectful debate. Mr GEE: And show some professional respect and courtesy, not only in this House but with the announcements that you are planning to make.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: We're referring to me now. Mr GEE: I find it appalling. It's a total disrespect to our communities and the pain that people are experiencing west of the Great Dividing Range.

We see billions and billions of dollars being dropped on projects on the eastern side of the sandstone curtain, and all we get are empty words and small change. Let's hope tomorrow's announcement brings something meaningful. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The discussion has concluded.