NEWLY elected Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer has used his inaugural speech in Parliament to call for an overpass at Houston Mitchell Drive between Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie.
He also highlighted the growing traffic congestion on the Oxley Highway, the need for surf club upgrades, and improved housing affordability.
Backed by his new colleagues and party leader Mark Speakman, Mr Dwyer said something needed to be done now to fix the huge volume of traffic, particularly between the Wrights Road roundabout and Lake Road.
He was due to meet Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison following his inaugural address to discuss these pressing road issues.
Mr Dwyer told Parliament that he is “humbled by and grateful for the trust placed in me by the people of the Port Macquarie electorate – a beautiful part of NSW that I am lucky to have called home for more than three decades.
“It is an honour and privilege to stand here today as their newly elected member for Port Macquarie.
“Our region has experienced extraordinary growth – a 16 percent increase over the past decade and a further 27 percent anticipated growth to 2046, when it will have 115,000 people.
“Growth brings opportunity, but it also brings challenges to our roads, water and sewer infrastructure, environment, housing, hospitals, emergency services and first responders.
“We must meet these demands head-on with innovative solutions and forward-thinking leadership.”
Mr Dwyer, an active member of the Camden Haven Surf Life Saving Club, also raised the need for upgrades to all surf clubs in the electorate.
“As an active volunteer surf lifesaver, I see the desperate need for improvements to facilities in which the five surf clubs in our electorate operate,” he said.
“Those clubs sincerely need upgrades to keep pursuing their simple mission: saving lives, creating great Australians and building better communities.
“Working with local clubs to improve those facilities is one of my early priorities.
“Our volunteer emergency services and community organisations need our support, and I intend to be a tireless advocate on their behalf.
Mr Dwyer said he believes the area has the “ talent, creativity, and resilience” to address its various challenges and to thrive in spite of them.
“This means investing in the future, planning for population growth, and ensuring we protect what makes our region unique – its environment, its people, and its spirit.”
A full copy of Mr Dwyer’s address can be found on the NSW Parliament website by going to Hansard and searching “Inaugural Speeches.”
By Sue STEPHENSON
