The campaign trial hit the South Coast yesterday as Prime Minister Scott Morrison returned 2019 Black Summer bushfire zone to address extreme weather events and population growth.
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Starting the day in Nowra, Mr Morrison committed $40 million for local road upgrades to address extensive damage caused by recent high rainfall and landslips, as well as increased traffic needs from population growth in the region.
The funding was quickly matched by incumbent Fiona Phillips who said on social media an Albanese Labor Government would provide $40 million to Shoalhaven City Council to help fix local roads.
Mr Morrison's visit to the critical marginal seat of Gilmore shows the Coalition's confidence and keenness to take it back after one term with Labor. Ms Phillips won the seat by a margin of just 2.6 per cent. It is being contested for the Liberals by former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance - a man not shy of criticising Mr Morrison in the past over inadequacies in his government's bushfire response.
Heading into the South Coast region on Monday, Mr Morrison said he would be thrilled to have Mr Constance on his team.
"Backing the Shoalhaven has always been a key priority for my government and with Andrew Constance on my team, we can keep getting things done for this important region," the Prime Minister said in a statement.
Mr Constance shot to national prominence for saying Scott Morrison "probably got the welcome he deserved" after the Prime Minister was heckled by locals on his ill-fated visit to Cobargo in January 2020.
The two men were forced to confront the Black Summer blow-up. Asked directly if he stood by the remarks, Mr Constance said: "we can't reverse history".
Mr Constance signalled he wouldn't hesitate in speaking out for his local community if elected to the Federal Parliament. "I'm going to be fierce in my representation of the people of Gilmore. I'm not going to sit there as a wallflower - I'll call it how it is," Mr Constance said during a press conference at East Coast Canning in Culburra Beach.
"And I care about the community that I've lived in for most of my life. Our people deserve the best."
Mr Morrison said residents and visitors to the Shoalhaven would benefit from the local road infrastructure package which includes $8 million to upgrade Forest Road, east from the Princes Highway, $5 million for the Callala Beach Road, $6 million for Callala Bay Road and $14 million for Culburra Road between Wollumboola and Culburra Beach. There is also $5 million for an intersection at Worrigee and $2 million for an intersection just outside of Callala Bay.
Mr Constance said: "Local communities across our region know that I'll always go into bat for them - that's my track record as a state member and what I want to keep delivering for Gilmore."
Ms Phillips added she had been lobbying for funds for local roads: "Council has been asking for additional funds to help fix our local roads before the recent flooding events. That is something that I've certainly been lobbying for. I'm pleased to say any additional funding for our local roads is welcome. And it shouldn't be about politics. It should be about getting our local roads fixed."
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