Could it be a silence that speaks volumes about the government’s intentions regarding Unanderra station?
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Wollongong MP Paul Scully got into a Twitter stoush on Wednesday, after Transport Minister Andrew Constance incorrectly stated in parliament that Labor would not fund lifts at Unanderra station (they committed to it more than two years ago).
Mr Scully said the minister could still match Labor’s offer, to which he curiously responded by suggesting Labor pulled funding in 2010, when it was the Liberal government that took away the funds in 2012.
After that the minister declined to state whether he would fund the lifts at Unanderra.
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“I asked him, ‘Does this mean you will not build the lifts?,” Mr Scully said in Parliament.
“Nothing. He had three choices in response to that – silence, confirming that he will not do it; yes, confirming that he will not do it; or no and matching Labor's commitment.
“He chose silence so all my community can conclude is that he will not be doing it.”
A spokeswoman for Mr Constance said the government was “currently considering an accessibility upgrade at Unanderra station as part of the next round of the Transport Access Program.”
“This government has already spent $1.2 billion dollars upgrading 52 stations – half of which were in Labor seats,” the spokeswoman said.
READ MORE: Two more stations leapfrog Unanderra
“Last weekend Labor committed to $1 billion over the next four years for 14 train station upgrades.
“Surprisingly Unanderra is not one of those 14 stations despite Labor constantly whinging for TfNSW to upgrade that very station.
“Labor has also failed to explain where the money is coming from for these upgrades. The people of Wollongong deserve a tangible commitment, with allocated funding, and not just another discard for the never-ending pile of empty Labor promises.”