Joint with Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development Anthony Albanese MP, Ed Husic MP, Michelle Rowland MP, Susan Templeman MP, Mike Freelander MP and Diane Beamer, Labor Candidate for Lindsay 

A Shorten Labor Government will meet the future transport needs of Western Sydney by committing $50 million to progress planning for the M9, also known as the Outer Sydney Orbital, in close consultation with the local community. 

This election will be a choice between a united Shorten Labor Government which will build the roads Australians need to get home quickly and safely, or more of the Liberals’ cuts and chaos. 
 
With the population of Sydney and the surrounding region expected to continue to expand strongly in coming decades, now is the time for governments to work together to anticipate future transport needs. 
 
The proposed Outer Sydney Orbital would include a motorway and freight rail travelling from Box Hill in Sydney’s north-west to the Hume Highway near Menangle in the south. 
 
It would link growth areas in Sydney’s North West and South West with nearby employment lands. 
 
Over time, it would also include further links to the Illawarra and the Central Coast, creating a complete corridor for the efficient movement of freight and people through the region. 
 
But it is critical that governments work together to get the planning right. 
 
Labor understands that if we make the right decisions now, the Orbital will support communities, businesses and jobs growth in Western Sydney for decades to come. 
 
But if we didn’t take the time to get it right, the wrong decisions could fail to take full advantage of the exciting economic potential of this dynamic region. 
 
Over nearly six years of cuts and chaos, the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has cut infrastructure investment, sidelined Infrastructure Australia and failed to seriously engage in long-term transport planning. 
 
By contrast, Labor has spent its time in Opposition developing an integrated plan to invest in better public transport, better freight rail and better roads. Our plan will not only enhance our quality of life, but deliver productivity that will underpin ongoing economic and jobs growth. 
 
In addition to today’s announcement, Federal Labor’s other major infrastructure commitments to Western Sydney include: 

• Western Sydney Rail: Labor will commit $3 billion to Western Sydney Rail to connect the new Western Sydney Airport to the metropolitan rail network from the day it opens, reducing congestion and dependence on cars. 
• Sydney Metro West: Labor will commit $3 billion to build the Sydney Metro West, which will take pressure off the increasingly overcrowded T1 Western Line. 
• A third Hawkesbury River Crossing: Labor will invest $200 million in a new crossing to address congestion. 
• Dunheved Road: Labor will invest $63.5 million to upgrade Dunheved Road between Richmond Road and Werrington Road in Penrith. 
• Appin Road: Labor will provide $55 million to deliver further upgrades to Appin Road. 
• Park and Ride facilities: To help commuters overcome the parking shortages they are experiencing, Labor will invest in extra facilities at railway stations across Western Sydney, including Schofields, Leppington, Quakers Hill, Campbelltown, St Marys, Wentworthville, Kingswood, Emu Plains Macarthur and Revesby. 

End the chaos. Vote for change. Vote for Labor.