On Sunday June 26, I hosted the M5 East Toll Public Forum at Bexley RSL Club. I was joined by the Shadow Minister for Roads John Graham MLC, Bayside Mayor Dr Christina Curry and hundreds of local residents who came to have their say.
After two years of lockdowns, it was amazing to see so many people come together to fight for their community.
The forum heard from a diverse range of people, from truck drivers and motorists to nurses, teachers, local families and local small business owners about the impact of the M5 East toll. The message was clear; the NSW Liberal Government's obsession with tolls has destroyed local roads and is forcing people into toll poverty.
Our community was promised that the billions of dollars spent on tolls roads would reduce surface traffic on our local roads. Instead, there has been a 25 per cent jump in traffic on local roads since the introduction of the toll on the M5 East.
We are also now the most tolled city in the world, with NSW motorists set to pay $2.1 billion in tolls this year.
I am committed to doing everything I can to fix this and easing the burden on local families. A Minns Labor Government will keep the Harbour Bridge and Harbour Bridge Tunnel in public hands and every dollar we collect from those roads will go towards providing a comprehensive toll relief package. Tolls will always be cheaper under a Labor Government than this Liberal Government.
I would like to thank Bexley RSL for hosting the event and all the residents who attended, especially those who spoke about the devastating impact tolls have had on our community.
Please scan the QR Code below to watch my speech at the public forum.
