Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison MP is disappointed that the NSW Treasurer, the Hon Dominic Perrottet, has failed to allocate any funding towards the construction of a solution to stop Cessnock Road at Tester’s Hollow from flooding. In today’s Budget Paper, funding for the planning to improve flood immunity on Cessnock Road at Tester’s Hollow was included in a $49 million figure along with other Hunter road infrastructure projects. This is most likely a re-announcement of the $2 million the NSW Government was forced into stumping up after pressure from Labor to match the Federal Government’s commitment of $15 million. There is no money to address the frequent flooding at Oakhampton Heights which also has a disability group home in the location. Today’s budget is an admission by the Government that it is dragging its feet in solving the flooding issues at Testers Hollow and that construction will not begin anytime soon. The Government recently admitted that they didn’t calculate the full quantum of the cost of the 2015 April Super Storm. They estimated that the Maitland community lost about half a million dollars in wages but have not accounted for the loss of income to small business, the cost of emergency services, or the cost of medical evacuations. The Treasurer also failed to provide any funding to alleviate the traffic congestion problems along the New England Highway at the Maitland Railway Station roundabout, the flood access issues at Oakhampton Heights or the significant upgrade needed to Raymond Terrace Road at Thornton.
Quotes Attributable to Member for Maitland Ms Jenny Aitchison MP
"The Berejiklian Government is once again showing contempt for our community by putting the lives of Maitland residents at risk during times of flooding."
“The NSW Government has once again failed to acknowledge the importance of Testers Hollow to our local community and small businesses.”
“The Federal Government have committed $15 million, we need a serious amount of money from the Berejiklian Government not more political spin.”
“If the Berejiklian Government were serious about this project they would have provided additional funding for the construction phase.”
“The Government’s $51 million white elephant Maitland Railway Station roundabout overpass has done little to reduce congestion and improve access to the CBD. Motorists travelling along the New England Highway everyday will tell you the need for increased infrastructure spending in our electorate.”
“As the Treasurer celebrates selling off all of the assets of this state, Maitland commuters are sitting in traffic because this Government does not care about fixing Maitland’s roads.”
