MEDIA RELEASE

ANSWERS NEEDED ON MORUYA CYCLEWAY FUNDING

Local MPs Fiona Phillips and Dr Michael Holland have joined together to demand answers for the community on why the NSW Government has broken its promise to fund the Moruya to Moruya Heads pathway.

Last year, mere days before the Bega by-election, Active Transport and Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes joined local Liberal candidates to announce that Eurobodalla Shire Council would submit an application for $2.5 million to fund the Moruya pathway link under the 2022-23 Get NSW Active Program.

At the time, Minister Stokes said he was “confident” the project would be funded.

But it was all hot air, with the application unsuccessful without explanation, leaving a 1.64km gaping hole in what would be a fantastic piece of infrastructure.

This is a disgrace, and it is putting the community at risk.

In 2008, Danielle Brice tragically lost her son Chris in a pedestrian accident on this very stretch of road six weeks before his eighteenth birthday. It simply must be made safer.

The Moruya community has worked on this for decades but the Liberals unfairly toyed with their hopes only to cruelly pull it away.

The two MPs have slammed the blatant politicking of the NSW Government when it comes to funding critical local infrastructure. They have today written to the NSW Minister demanding answers on why the apparent shoe-in project wasn’t selected for funding. 

It is time the NSW State Government step up and put their money where their mouths were.

Quotes attributable to Fiona Phillips MP, Member for Gilmore:

“The Liberals were happy to go to Moruya during an election to make flashy announcements, but as we have seen far too many times, once the speeches were over, and the photos taken, the money never came through.”

“Local people deserve better than political stunts and broken promises from a party that’s only interested in pork barrelling elections.”

“The Minister must explain this now and deliver on its promise to the Moruya community.”

Quotes attributable to Dr Michael Holland MP, Member for Bega:

“It’s not only disappointing to see a job only half done, it’s also continuing to impact the safety of those who use this stretch of road.”

“A lot of focus is put on road infrastructure but projects like these benefit so many people in our community who may not be able to drive a car”

“We know there is a history of reannouncements with this NSW Government so I hope this missing link will soon be funded, or at least tell the community why it wasn’t successful”

*Photo of Fiona Phillips, Dr Michael Holland and Danielle Brice at 1.6km stretch of unfinished pathway.

 13 FEBRUARY 2023

MEDIA CONTACT: JEROME COMISARI 0468 518 380