Advocating for Carrum Downs industry as PM promises $30m for Ballarto Rd
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison visited Ballarto Road in Carrum Downs on Wednesday 6 February as part of a three-day “congestion-busting” tour of Victoria.
Mr Morrison was joined by federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge and Dunkley federal MP Chris Crewther when he announced the Commonwealth government is spending $30 million to improve intersections along Ballarto Road in Carrum Downs.
The project is the latest in a series of road upgrades now under construction or planned for the region, which include Thompsons Road, Lathams Road (Carrum Downs Industrial Estate’s main arterial) and Hall Road. Both state and federal governments have provided funds for these crucial east–west arterials.
Committee for Greater Frankston chief executive Ginevra Hosking took the opportunity of the PM’s visit to attend the announcement and advocate for Carrum Downs and Seaford industrial estates.
Ms Hosking said the two industrial estates were now more important to the region’s economy than Frankston CBD. “Carrum Downs is the bigger of the two and is admired as a shining light of the region’s economy,” she said.
“We’re pleased that governments recognise this and are investing money in improving infrastructure to allow better movement of people as well as freight via road and rail. There is also a widely discussed need to begin planning for a commercial airport in Melbourne’s southeast.”
She said the two industrial precincts were home to almost 20 per cent of the municipality’s jobs and 30 per cent of the region’s output. “Frankston Council’s latest survey of the two precincts shows that together they employ almost 8700 people, up 45 per cent in the past five years,” she said. “The survey reveals that year-on-year job growth is almost 10 per cent, approaching 20 times faster than the southeast region’s average.”
Ms Hosking said she and the Prime Minister briefly discussed the booming success of Carrum Downs and Seaford industrial precincts and the future jobs they would provide, especially for the region’s young people.
Last September, Chris Crewther said in the Parliament that his seat of Dunkley had almost 72,000 workers, but only 31 per cent “actually work in Dunkley”, which caused commuting difficulties. He advocated for road improvements and the Frankston rail extension, (which has bipartisan federal support but no state commitment yet).
Ms Hosking said businesses at Carrum Downs and Seaford were changing this imbalance by “providing new jobs as they expand”. This growth – combined with improved roads, the proposed Frankston rail extension, and expansion of Frankston’s education and health sectors – would lead to vastly improved prosperity across the city and the region, she said.
The Federal Opposition has also pledge to retain this $30 million of Roads funding in the Dunkley electorate , should it be elected in 2019 .
Other announcement coverage:
Prime Minister Scott Morrison to pledge roads cash in ‘congestion-busting’ three-day Victorian tour
Anthony Galloway and Rob Harris, Herald Sun, 6 February 2019
Cash splash on busy Ballarto Road
Brodie Cowburn, Frankston Times 12 February 2019, page 1 &3.
