There is mounting criticism within the community around the way the NSW State Government have conducted themselves in the Eurobodalla in the leadup to the resignation of Andrew Constance member for Bega, identified as November 26th, in time to qualify for pre-selection as a Liberal Candidate for the Federal seat of Gilmore. Adding to the revelations of the pork barrelling of $8 million for the Bay Pavillion theatre that has no business case or any announced bookings is the recent revelation that the Eurobodalla Regional hospital will be under serviced. The community have heard responses over recent days that a Level 4 hospital will be delivered however none of those utterances come with a date and the statements that the hospital will grow as demand requires indicates that there is no intention to meet the promise of delivering a Level 4 hospital on the day that the doors are officially opened. It has taken nearly a year since the site was first announced to look at the budget and it is understood that the land identified for the facility still hasn't been transacted, with no sign yet of the Letter of Offer to the owners. Also recently revealed is that the Moruya By-pass is expected to blow out from $300 million to something in the order of $700 million and might well see the bypass extended to 8 km rather than 5.5km. Shadow Minister for Transport has brought the spot light onto the Member for Bega as she recognises his planned resignation from State Parliament and his aspirations for Federal Parliament In her media release Don't let Constance do to Australia what he did to NSW the Member for Summer Hill said: Multi-billion dollar budget blowouts; botched projects; and job losses – Andrew Constance cannot be allowed to do Australia what he has done to New South Wales.
His decision to resign from the NSW cabinet and parliament to contest the federal seat of Gilmore will leave his successor with a list of messes to clean up, including:
City and South West Metro: scheduled to blow out to $16.8 billion - more than $4 billion over budget.
Metro West: scheduled to blow out to $27 billion - $3 billion over budget - and will open at least three years behind schedule in 2023.
Eastern Suburbs Light Rail: blown out by $2.9 billion - $1.3 billion over budget.
Western Sydney Airport Metro: An Infrastructure Australia report revealed that the cost of the project exceeded the benefits by $1.8 billion.
The Minister also presided over a series of botched transport projects including:
River Class Ferries that are unable to operate at night, came filled with asbestos and cannot travel under bridges if passengers are on the top deck.
Emerald Class Manly Ferries that need reinforced hulls before they can safely cross the heads and which leak.
The ‘Ferry McFerryface’ embarrassment.
The $2.4 billion New Inner City Rail Fleet which was unable to fit the tracks, still cannot operate safely and is yet to carry a single passenger.
The Parramatta Light Rail which has had its crucial second stage put on hold by Mr Constance, leaving hundreds of homeowners and business people in limbo.
Thousands of high quality manufacturing jobs were exported from New South Wales on Mr Constance’s watch. Transport infrastructure that should have been built here was instead built overseas often resulting in an expensive and poor quality product including:
Ferries built China and Indonesia.
Buses built in Malaysia.
Trains built in South Korea and China.
Metro carriages built in India.
Light rail vehicles built in France and Spain.
Shadow Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said: “Andrew Constance will leave a legacy of billions in blowouts, of botched project after botched project, and of sending hundreds of quality New South Wales manufacturing jobs offshore.
“The first test for Mr Constance’s successor will be if they are up to the task of cleaning up the mess he made in the transport portfolio.”
With a by-election planned for Bega, possibly in February 2022, (The 2023 New South Wales state election will be held on 25 March 2023) it might be back to the drawing board for the new Regional Hospital and the Moruya Bypass depending on who we have as our new Member. Do we vote to retain a Blue Team member to enjoy the spoils that come with favouritism or do we risk someone coming in who will be an "outsider" to the backroom dealings and nudge,nudge wink,wink that the State has apparently have enjoyed to date?
"Nudge, Nudge, Wink Wink, say no more"
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