Federal Member for Chifley Ed Husictoday said that the Baird Government plan to build a second Sydney zoo was a cheap attempt to distract from its cuts and enduring failure to support Western Sydney.
Im happy to throw my support behind those initiatives that provide an actual boost to our local economy and benefit our communities, Mr Husic said.
But this proposal seems like an attempt to distract local attention from the cuts made by the Abbott and Baird Governments cuts that have hurt our area hard.
Whats concerning is that the Baird Government is opening the door to a second Sydney zoo locally, when right around the corner we have an established local tourist icon in Featherdale Wildlife Park,
We need the Baird Government to immediately guarantee that this decision will not impact on local businesses and job generators such as Featherdale a local attraction that has been successfully drawing in domestic and international visitors to Blacktown for over 50 years.
Mr Husic said that the Liberals priorities for Western Sydney were wrong.
They just dont get Western Sydney.
If the Liberals arent proposing terrible ideas like renaming Blacktown, theyre cutting funding and support to our communities.
Western Sydney has been hit hard by Liberal Government funding cuts including Tony Abbotts cuts to hard-won funding for an MRI and Mike Bairds closure of the cardiac ward at Mt Druitt Hospital and refusal to upgrade local railway stations.
Whats needed from the Abbott and Baird Governments is better local healthcare, greater support for our schools and improvements to local infrastructure funding.
We dont need distractions from the Liberals we need action on the things that matter to our community.