Wollongong MP Paul Scully has put the Berejiklian government on notice.
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It now has 72 days to get rid of the ‘72 steps struggle’ at Unanderra Station and build “much needed” lifts.
Thursday marks 72 days until the NSW election on March 23.
NSW Labor has committed $25 million to upgrade Unanderra Station including building the lifts as part of the $225 million Illawarra Jobs Action Plan.
Mr Scully said the funding would start to roll-out in the first budget of a Daley Labor Government if the party was elected into government.
“The Premier and Minister for Transport Andrew Constance have run out of excuses and are nearly out of time to commit to building the much-needed lifts at Unanderra Station,” he said.
“Gladys Berejiklian has just 72 days left to lift her game and match my commitment to build the lifts.
“The NSW Liberals have had eight long years to deliver this project but so far they have failed.”
Mr Scully said since September 2011 when the O’Farrell Government’s then Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian MP cancelled construction of the lifts at the train station – which were started the former Labor Government – commuters have been forced to climb up and down 72 steps to gain access to the central platform.
During this time the Unanderra Access Group, disability providers and employers, and the local community have fought to get the O’Farrell, Baird and Berejiklian governments to return the money allocated to install the lifts and upgrade the station.
Petitions, rallies, protests, deputations and even a community walk have been held to put pressure on Mr Constance and the Premier to start work on building the lifts.
Mr Scully said during the past eight years, the elderly, parents with prams, commuters with bags, and people with a disability have been forced to struggle with 72 steps while other train stations across NSW have had lifts installed as “Transport Access Program rankings have been fiddled and manipulated for political purposes”.
“The Premier even cried crocodile tears of distress nearly four years ago when footage of a double-amputee, stroke victim and 81-year-old woman were filmed struggling-up the 72 stairs to get access to the central platform,” he said.
Mr Scully said the “clock was ticking”.
“Between now and March 23 either the Premier, Minister Constance, Parliamentary Secretary Gareth Ward or the Liberal candidate for Wollongong must answer the question – will you build lifts at Unanderra Station in the next parliamentary term if you are re-elected to government?” he said.
