They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but it would have been completed much sooner if they'd had a rail line to connect their workers to the site. That's why I'm very passionate about the need for rail connectivity from south-west Sydney to the new Western Sydney Airport and the surrounding Aerotropolis and why I am absolutely appalled at the New South Wales premier's decision not to provide such vital transport infrastructure to my electorate from Western Sydney Airport.
Recently Premier Minns stated that the New South Wales government does not intend to build rail services to connect Western Sydney Airport with south-west Sydney. It's an absolute tragedy. This would mean no new stations in Camden, Narellan, Bringelly, Oran Park, Leppington or Catherine Field which would connect the airport with existing stations, such as Macarthur, Campbelltown and Leppington. It's an appalling response from the New South Wales government, especially considering that our federal government understands the importance of this project for the region and is pushing ahead with our $1 billion land acquisition project to secure rail corridors in south-west Sydney to connect the region with Western Sydney Airport. This was announced by the Prime Minister in March, and we are incredibly passionate about making sure this continues. It was very well received by local residents, businesses and local councils, and it is a pragmatic, commonsense policy. I'm speaking out about this because I think the New South Wales government's response is terrible.
On the other hand, when the New South Wales premier made his decision not to build or manage rail services from Western Sydney Airport to our region it was met with shock and incredible frustration by residents, businesses and local councils. Our federal government's land acquisition project helps ease the cost on the New South Wales government, who would maintain rail services by New South Wales transport. It's quite literally the perfect arrangement, yet the New South Wales government is walking away. The Metro Northwest rail project is brilliant; it's fantastic. I've ridden on it myself, and it really does connect the north-west part of Sydney to the centre of Sydney and all the surrounding services. But it is very frustrating, disappointing and indeed inequitable that south-west Sydney doesn't get the same treatment, especially when south-west Sydney is growing by tens of thousands of people every few months, making it larger than Tasmania and Canberra in population, and we are not predicted to slow down; its continuing all the time.
Having a link from south-west Sydney to Western Sydney Airport is absolutely critical, and we can't turn our backs on it. It's critical for our economy, it's critical to reduce road congestion and pollution, and it's vital to securing the viability of the new airport and the Aerotropolis. It must be done. Our roads in south-west Sydney are already highly congested, and a bus service to the airport is not the solution. This is not acceptable. (Time expired)
