Train station carparks in Josh Frydenberg’s electorate dumped

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has been forced to pull the pin on a $65m plan to build four commuter carparks in his own electorate.

The federal government has dumped controversial plans to upgrade commuter carparks amid backlash from some of Melbourne’s leafiest suburbs.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced the withdrawal of a $65m pledge from its Urban Congestion Fund to build extra parking at Surrey Hills, Canterbury, Glenferrie and Camberwell stations.

Mr Frydenberg, whose seat of Kooyong includes the stations, said that Boroondara Council had made it clear that there was a significant lack of parking in those areas.

“In regard to the proposed carparks at Canterbury, Glenferrie and Camberwell, the council conducted a public consultation process which generated significant local feedback,” he said.

“During this period, I also met with a number of local residents and traders and listened to the issues they have raised.”

“Further to these conversations and discussions with council, the federal government has decided not to proceed with funding for the proposed carparks at Canterbury, Glenferrie and Camberwell.”

Mr Frydenberg said the Surrey Hills proposal had to be abandoned due to the Andrews government’s move to merge the Surrey Hills and Mont Albert stations.

“Nationally, the urban Congestion Fund remains an important part of the government’s plans to get more cars off our roads and to make public transport more accessible,” he said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced the withdrawal of a $65m pledge to build extra parking at Surrey Hills, Canterbury, Glenferrie and Camberwell stations. Picture Dean Martin

The carparks issue was threatening to become a troublesome election issue for Mr Frydenberg, who faces a strong challenge from Labor, Greens and an “independent” linked to Simon Holmes a Court’s political group Climate 200.

Local residents’ groups “applauded” Mr Frydenberg’s decision to scrap the proposals.

“Josh Frydenberg met with traders and residents and listened to his community. This is a wonderful outcome,” said Save Hawthorn Action Group co-convener Nancy Frawley, who fought the Glenferrie station carpark proposal.

The Canterbury Carpark Residents Group said: “This was very much a case of ‘the wrong carpark in the wrong place’, and we appreciate that Josh Frydenberg has found the time among his other responsibilities to focus on this issue, and to consult with a range of local parties in making this decision.”

Convener of activist group Planning Democracy, Kelvin Thomson, said it was a great win for people power.

“Local residents were rightly concerned that the carparks would attract traffic to surrounding streets, and increase, rather than reduce, traffic congestion,” he said.

Render of the proposed multi-level carpark in Hawthorn near Canterbury Station. Picture: City of Boroondara

Render of the proposed multi-level carpark in Hawthorn near Glenferrie Station. Picture: City of Boroondara

But Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman, Catherine King, slammed the move as a “humiliating backflip” from the Treasurer.

“This is a major public policy failure from the man supposedly in charge of our nation’s finances,” Ms King said.

“These projects were hand selected by the Prime Minister and his senior ministers to try to hold on to seats they were worried about, and now with another election on the horizon the entire program is falling apart.”

Ms King said Mr Frydenberg had spent the past term of parliament failing to deliver on the big promises made at the 2019 election.

She said he had serious questions to answer, including how much money was wasted on the car parks that will never be delivered.

“How can anyone trust any promises he makes this time?” Ms King said.

Boroondara mayor Jane Addis said she was disappointed by Mr Frydenberg’s decision.

“Council has been engaging with the community during a two-month consultation process and a council meeting was scheduled for March 15 to hear all community submissions; this meeting will now be cancelled following today’s announcement,” she said.

“A substantial investment of public funds has been used to complete the feasibility analysis for each of these car parks, and it would have been more appropriate for council to determine which of the three projects progressed, if any.”

“It also has to be noted these projects were set to provide many benefits to Boroondara residents, traders, daily commuters in Melbourne, and hundreds of businesses at our Camberwell, Glenferrie and Canterbury shopping centres.”