Local roads are set to benefit from an additional $250 million funding boost in the latest campaign promise from the Albanese Labor Government.
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While roads and infrastructure are a local government responsibility, Whitlam MP and Labor candidate Stephen Jones said his government was committed to road upgrades.
"The extreme weather events have smashed local roads," he said.
"Scott Morrison's Liberals have neglected local infrastructure funding. It's past time the Southern Highlands got its fair share of roads and infrastructure funding.
"Labor Government will expand the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program to allow more priority projects to be funded and more local roads to be fixed."
"During the Global Financial Crisis, Labor introduced the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. The LRCI Program delivers funding directly to councils to undertake local priority projects."
Mr Jones said local labor representatives expected the money to be used to fix potholes.
"This new funding boost will take the total size of this program to $3.25 billion," he said.
"It's urgent and needed right now.
"Labor will ensure this money is distributed by a formula, which will take into account road length and population.
"This will ensure projects across Australia receive the funding they need, not just projects located in marginal seats.
"Regions like the the Southern Highlands will benefit from Labor's plan to upgrade local roads."
In an interview with the Illawarra Mercury, Mr Jones said If Labor was elected, the money needed to start flowing "immediately".
"With the local governments a guarantee of the money these coming is just an important, because they can factor it into their budgets," he said.
"I'm not pretending this injection of funds is going to fix every pothole on every road - it's a start."
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