NSW NATIONALS candidate Sean Gleeson has vowed to “reinstate the $5m worth of funding cut by Labor” for the Wrights Road roundabout if successful at the Port Macquarie by-election next Saturday.
The announcement matches a NSW Liberal Party promise to restore the funding, which was designated for Stage 2 of the Oxley Highway upgrade, before it was cut by the Federal Labor Government in 2023.
“I’ve experienced the traffic chaos at Wrights Road for years, and there’s a reason it’s known as the region’s greatest traffic bottleneck,” Mr Gleeson said in a statement.
“It’s talked about by almost every resident and visitor around Port Macquarie right now and we need some immediate action to ease congestion and make the roads safer and more efficient to use.
“Labor ripped the rug from under our community, which just isn’t good enough, so I am announcing that with the NSW Nationals back in Government we would fully restore the $5 million to finish the job we started.”
Nationals whip Wes Fang raised the issue of Wrights Road in Budget Estimates last Thursday, questioning Health Minister Ryan Park about the impacts the traffic bottleneck was having on Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
“Minister, has the Mid North Coast Local Health District raised the issue of Wrights Road roundabout impacting hospital access?” Mr Fang asked.
“Recently we had an ambulance that had to divert across the nature strip because there was such congestion in the roundabout.”
Mr Fang then questioned Mr Park on whether the NSW Labor Party would match the Nationals’ commitment to fix the roundabout.
“We certainly made an important election commitment in last year’s budget from memory to upgrade that hospital,” Mr Park responded.
“I’m confident that as a result of that, the access will be looked at.”
