In the News

Sunday, 22 June 2008

Please join me on my facebook group page and invite all your friends!

 

One of the new measures the Federal Government has initiated is to form a body called Infrastructure Australia, which will now commence a year long review of national infrastructure projects and then fund the most important projects.

The budget has set aside $20 billion in an infrastructure fund to tackle urban congestion and planning for the transport infrastructure for the “neediest areas of Australia”.

From all of the data at hand it is clear that there is no place in Sydney which is in greater need of transport infrastructure than our electorate of Mitchell.

So whilst the most recent re-announcement of the North West Rail Line (repackaged as the North West Metro Line), was met with severe scepticism locally, there is now a chance that the Federal Government will fund transport infrastructure in Mitchell.

It is a proposition we must argue strongly for, as a united community, in the coming year.

At this stage the Federal Government is funding a feasibility study for a Western Metro Line which will duplicate the existing heavy rail from Parramatta to the city.  It provides a second transport option for those in the inner west, whilst families in the North West of Sydney are left with no means of transport, expensive tolls to and from the city, and hours of lost time in transit.

Considering 70% of the households in Mitchell have 2 or more cars compared with just 20% of the inner city, where this proposed line will run, it will be a poor decision to build the Western Metro in place of the Northwest Metro.

In coming months I will be working to put pressure on the Government to fund our NorthWest metro line before they duplicate existing heavy rail from Parramatta to the city. If you have any ideas to assist with our argument for Federal funding from the Infrastructure fund, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thursday, 19 June 2008

The 24th of November 2007 marks an important milestone both for Australia and for me personally. It is a source of mixed celebration and grief, for it was the coincidence of my election to parliament and the anniversary of my mother’s death from cancer when I was a 10-year-old boy. My mother was a teacher with a deep connection with special needs kids. She believed in caring for others and instilled the same values in my sister Lydia and me.

 

Thursday, 19 June 2008

The 24th of November 2007 marks an important milestone both for Australia and for me personally. It is a source of mixed celebration and grief, for it was the coincidence of my election to parliament and the anniversary of my mother’s death from cancer when I was a 10-year-old boy. My mother was a teacher with a deep connection with special needs kids. She believed in caring for others and instilled the same values in my sister Lydia and me.

 

Thursday, 19 June 2008

Alex Hawke was elected to Federal Parliament on 24 November 2007 as the Member for Mitchell, an electorate centred in the Hills Shire in Northwest Sydney.

Alex was the former Cabinet Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs. Like so many Australians, Alex’s family came to Australia seeking the opportunity, freedom and safety our beautiful country affords everyone. Australia’s great migration story will continue to be an essential part of our ongoing prosperity, success and recovery.

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