New government asked to address Peninsula roads

Shadow Minister for the Central Coast, Mr David Harris, has called on new NSW Premier, Ms Gladys Berejiklian, and members of her new Ministry, to address the unacceptable condition of the Peninsula's roads.

He said he had called on the new NSW Cabinet to change its direction on key policies that affected the Central Coast.

Mr Harris raised a list of key issues the Government needed to take action on.

One high priority item was the Peninsula's roads, he said.

Mr Harris said he called for Ms Berejiklian and her team to provide "assistance to Council to address the unacceptable state of local roads on the Peninsula".

"A plan to fix the Rawson Rd Level Crossing debacle in Woy Woy" was also called for by Mr Harris.

He said he would also like to see the new cabinet "addressing the appalling backlog of maintenance on Central Coast schools".

Mr Harris said the Government's city-centric polices had left the Central Coast with an ever-growing list of problems.

He said he was hopeful that the new Premier and new Cabinet might mean a new direction for the Government that benefited the Coast.

"It's one thing to have a new look Cabinet, but what we really need is a new direction," he said.

"The Central Coast has been taken for granted by this Government.

"My hope is that a new Premier and new Cabinet may mean we start to get our fair share," he said.

Mr Scot MacDonald has been reappointed to his position as Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and was also appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Planning.

Mr Harris said Central Coast Council was given annual NSW Government funding for local roads but needed to be proactive in its dealings with the new Cabinet.

"What the Government needs to do is increase the money they give to the local council for expenditure on local roads,' Mr Harris said.

That would mean Council making applications to the new Minister to demonstrate how far behind they are with the maintenance of local roads.

"In media interviews during the past few days, Scot MacDonald has said he recognised the Central Coast was a growth area and it had been left behind.

"He has been saying that in his new role as Central Coast and Planning Parliamentary Secretary so I would hope he would be lobbying Ms Pavey and across all the Ministries for better funding for our communities," he said.

"The same applies to the Rawson Rd underpass.

"It looked like it had been abandoned so now we've got another Minister maybe they would be happy to revisit that.

"I don't hold out much hope.

"I think it is just a shuffling of the deck chairs but a new Minister means fresh ears and a fresh opportunity to raise and review these issues," he said.

Media release, 31 Jan 2017

Zachary Harrison, Office of David Harris

Interview, 31 Jan 2017

David Harris, Shadow Minister for the Central Coast

Reporter: Jackie Pearson