I speak on behalf of the families, workers and residents of Austral, a growing community that has been overlooked and let down for far too long. Once a quiet, semi-rural area, it is rapidly becoming a thriving suburban community. Families are moving in, businesses are growing and schools are quickly filling up. But while the houses go up, roads remain unsealed, parks remain unbuilt and basic infrastructure remains undelivered. For 12 long years the former Liberal-Nationals Government green-lit new housing, collected stamp duty and let councils charge developer levies. But Austral received very little in the way of parks, footpaths and upgrades to heavily potholed roads and intersections. It was a government that prioritised dollar signs over local families.

Since being elected I have fought hard to reverse that neglect. The $1 billion investment in Fifteenth Avenue—jointly funded by State and Federal Labor governments—and upgrades to Austral Public School are two massive steps forward. But only two levels of government are pulling their weight. Parents push prams along grass verges and kids walk to school through dirt and gravel. What little is proposed is years away. By 2024 Edmondson Avenue was supposed to be upgraded by council through a government-funded grant. The revised project, which now only covers design and land acquisition, runs from 2025 to 2028. In next year's council budget, $5.68 million was announced for park upgrades across the local government area but the announcement did not include which suburbs and which parks. It was another glossy announcement and another round of promises.

In September 2023 council said it had acquired land at 160 Fifth Avenue to renew the local park. It released a draft plan, alongside similar plans for Craik Park, which went on public exhibition until 20 June 2024. Still, nothing has been done. Earlier this year Liverpool City Council advised that $4.74 million in State funding, granted through the Accelerated Infrastructure Fund to upgrade Fourth Avenue, will be handed back due to "funding shortages and significant design implications". That is a stark indication of a council unwilling or unable to deliver, even when there is money on the table.

At the front of Unity Grammar, where that funding was meant to go, pick‑up and drop-off is a daily gridlock. The roads are too narrow. Because they remain unsealed and underdeveloped, even basic safety measures like pedestrian crossings cannot be installed. Teachers and staff do their best, but there is only so much a school can do when the surrounding roads are falling apart. At Austral Public School, parents circle the block repeatedly just to find somewhere to stop. Without adequate parking or drop-off zones, parents are regularly fined by rangers for simply trying to collect their children. The other three schools in the area are not much different. That is not just inconvenient; it is a safety risk.

The proposed Austral Aquatic and Leisure Centre exists only on paper. There is no timeline, no funding commitment and no start date. Why would the community expect otherwise? Just one suburb over, the Carnes Hill pool has been promised for more than 20 years. Despite funding from the Minns Labor Government in 2023, construction has not started. If council cannot deliver that, how can the people of Austral expect any different? Liverpool City Council's contributions plan for Austral and Leppington North is expected to raise more than $1 billion, which is meant for roads, drainage, open space and community facilities. However, residents are not seeing those benefits. Adding to the frustration, the council has repeatedly failed to apply for State and Federal government grants that could have funded those much‑needed parks. The grants were available, timely and targeted, but infuriatingly ignored. Meanwhile, ratepayers watch millions of dollars being spent by the council on consultants, restructures and a bloated communications team.

In December 2022 the council held a forum in Austral. Another consultation is planned for later this month. However, residents have told me that they are tired of the window‑dressing. We need real delivery, not more talk. Austral is no longer a rural community on the edge of the city; it is a thriving, growing community and it deserves to be treated like one. Council has collected the money, held the meetings and made promises, but it has failed to deliver time and again. The people of Austral work hard. They pay their rates and contributions. They should not have to beg for basic services. The State Government is doing its part, and so is the Federal Government. It is time Liverpool City Council finally did its part, with no more excuses or delays. It should fix the roads, build the parks and deliver the infrastructure Austral has already paid for and has long deserved.