CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr RAE (Hawke—Minister for Aged Care and Seniors) (10:33): It was great to drop by Goodstart Early Learning in Sunbury last week to talk about Labor's commitment to local workers in our area. Quality learning begins with quality educators, but for too long the dedication of these educators was not matched by their pay. That's why Labor has locked in a 15 per cent pay rise for more than a thousand early childhood educators in Hawke, in our community, who are working hard every day with our kids.

Every family in our community of Hawke wants the same thing: for their kids to have the best possible start in life. Backing the people who make that happen is part of how we get there. To the director, Sally-Anne, and her team at Goodstart Sunbury and to every childhood educator across Hawke: thank you for the work that you do.

October is Mental Health Month and I want to mention something I've taken on with some of my federal parliamentary colleagues across the aisle and across our team—the Top Blokes Foundation Lift the Load challenge. The goal is to walk or run 50 kilometres wearing a weighted vest. I'll be very honest: the vest is not comfortable; it's pretty damn heavy.

But that's, of course, entirely the point. It represents the weight that so many young people carry every single day, silently, feeling like they have to manage it alone. Top Blokes does incredible work—helping young people to build resilience, confidence and the support networks that they need.

I want to say thanks to the member for Hunter, one of the top-est blokes in this place, for getting us all on board for this important cause. I want to give an update on the Western Freeway Upgrade because I know people in Hawke are thinking and worrying about the same traffic that they were sitting in three years ago. That frustration is completely fair, so I want to speak about what's actually been happening.

Back in 2022, we fought to get a business case funded. Some people might think that that sounds a bit boring, but I assure you that it's a necessary first step before a billion-dollar major infrastructure project can go ahead. We got that done.

Off the back of it, we secured a billion dollars towards the project from the Albanese Labor government, and, a few weeks ago, the Victorian government put in another $550 million. That's $1.55 billion locked in for 30 kilometres of new lanes between Melton and Caroline Springs as well as for upgrades to the interchanges. Based on this work, we know the scope, too: three lanes in each direction between Ferris Road and Hopkins Road, four lanes between Hopkins Road and Ballarat Road and new interchanges at Ferris Road, Leakes Road, Hopkins Road and Mount Cottrell Road.

This has taken years of hard work, and I know that doesn't help when people are stuck in traffic every single morning. We want people to be able to get to work and home to their families. This is real money.

It's locked in, and we're going to see this upgrade through for our community.