Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (19:34): Even before I was elected as the federal member for Gilmore, I'd pounded the pavement collecting signatures, attended rallies and meetings and shouted from the rooftops calling for improvements to the Princes Highway and local roads in the Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Kiama council areas. I'm immensely proud of the role I have played and continue to play in securing federal funding to get important road projects off the ground in my electorate on the New South Wales South Coast. When I drive around Gilmore, I'm pleased to see roadworks underway for major infrastructure projects like the Jervis Bay flyover and the many smaller-but-just-as-important roads that connect our smaller villages and towns.

In the Shoalhaven area alone, I have delivered more than $1 billion for roads. Just last week, another significant milestone was reached on the Jervis Bay flyover project as work commenced on foundations for the bridge, utility relocation and drainage work. An injection of $100 million in federal funding I've delivered will provide a grade separated flyover-style intersection with an overpass across the Princes Highway and two roundabouts to deliver safer and smoother connections. I worked alongside community groups, including Vincentia Matters, to significantly improve the road safety and reduce travel times for local residents and the many thousands of visitors to Jervis Bay. I've also delivered $400 million for the upgrade of a six-kilometre stretch of the Princes Highway between Jervis Bay Road and Hawken Road to two lanes in each direction as well as upgraded intersections at Hawken Road and Blackbutt Range road at Tomerong. Residents are also extremely pleased to see pavement repairs underway on the busy Jervis Bay Road between Woollamia and Falls Creek under disaster recovery funding arrangements. Anyone that drives Jervis Bay Road every day knows how badly it needed to be fixed following a series of floods.

The Albanese government is dedicated to improving investment in our transport networks and our roads. These investments support a range of economic and social objectives, including regional connectivity, liveability and safety. In my electorate of Gilmore, that includes an additional $2.4 million in this year's budget to ensure the completion of the far north collector road and $25.1 million to wrap up the Nowra bridge works. I've delivered $97 million to get the Nowra bypass going and $752 million for the Milton-Ulladulla bypass, which is in the planning stage. The $40 million Shoalhaven local roads package which I've delivered means that Shoalhaven Council is getting on with upgrading key local roads, including Forest Road, Callala Beach Road, Callala Bay Road, Culburra Road, Worrigee Road, Greenwell Point Road intersection and Callala Bay Road intersection. There is also black spot funding in the Eurobodalla and Shoalhaven. I've secured significant natural disaster roads funding, which has helped to repair many roads in our villages, including at Jamberoo, Bawley Point, Conjola Lake and Sussex Inlet, and repair 38 significant landslips around Kangaroo Valley. The latest round of funding makes a total of $18.84 million dollars in Roads to Recovery grants I'm proud to deliver for Shoalhaven road projects.

This government is committed to addressing longstanding problems with our local road networks caused by extreme weather events and to futureproofing the network for expected population. Roads are always at the top of my to-do list and, when I'm out and about in my community, I'm often asked for updates on major projects. Hardly a day goes by when a resident doesn't ask about the Nowra bypass or Milton-Ulladulla bypass. We all know these massive projects can't be built in a day. They require significant planning, environmental assessments and community consultation, which is why I continue to be involved and informed every step of the way.

I'm really excited that the wheels are turning on the proposed Milton-Ulladulla bypass, with Transport for New South Wales last month applying to have the project declared a state significant infrastructure project due to its complexity. This government's contribution of $752 million will design a bypass that meets community needs while also ensuring endangered species and ecological communities are managed appropriately. Essential planning work for the Nowra bypass is also moving along, with traffic modelling and preliminary environmental investigations underway. More than 1,000 pieces of feedback were received during the consultation period, and we must ensure we get the planning right because the Nowra bypass will deliver huge benefits for our region.

I'm pleased that residents and motorists on the South Coast will benefit for years to come from the roadwork I've championed and that has been funded by the Albanese Labor government.