with Julian Leeser MP

As a community , we can never say thank you enough to the volunteers who , in so many areas of our life , help to keep our community safe and thriving .

On this occasion , I want to particularly acknowledge Lifeline and the LifeLine volunteers . LifeLine recently celebrated its 60th birthday , and it was an honour to co-host a breakfast in Parliament to mark that important event .

The lives of so many Australians have

been touched by suicide , including me and my family . Any person who has lost someone to suicide knows the deep feeling of regret that never really goes away .

For some years before we had children , my wife Joanna was a telephone crisis support volunteer . Lifeline volunteers are ordinary people doing amazing work .

The conversations that Lifeline volunteers have can be very difficult , but each of those conversations can help to

change , and indeed to save , a life .

Lifeline volunteers help to ensure that children grow up with their mum and dad , and also that parents can watch their children grow up . They change the future , instead of letting others live with the regret and pain of the past .

We are all deeply grateful to the Lifeline volunteers . We are also grateful for the donors , supporters , managers and boards of Lifeline , past and present .

Lifeline creates an incredibly safe place for Australians experiencing distress

- a place to stop , talk anonymously , talk freely , and hopefully , to get further help .

It is indispensable to Australia , and to our local community .

With this in mind , I particularly want to recognise Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury , which operates Lifeline in our area , and especially the current CEO Elizabeth Lovell and previous CEO Wendy Carver .

Lifeline services can be contacted on 13 11 14 , or via their website . Happy Birthday Lifeline !

The peak body representing councils in Greater Western Sydney has challenged the logic behind raising the speed limit on the WestConnex motorway and tunnel network from 80km to 90km per hour — urging instead a limit of 100km per hour .

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils ( WSROC ) is calling for a radical re-think of how Sydney ’ s motorways are managed , suggesting a general increase to motorway speed limits and calling for a traffic study of the efficiency of ramp metered entry sites along the M4 dual carriageway .

Greater Western Sydney residents are heavily car-dependent with some 309,500 commuting outside the region for work , 65 per cent commuting by private vehicle .

According to an announcement by Premier Perrottet and Minister for Metropolitan Roads , Natalie Ward ( 20 March ), increasing the WestConnex speed limit by just 10km per hour will reduce travel times , boost productivity , keep freight moving , and place downward pressure on supply chain costs .

“ However , the absurdity is that in NSW , we build and pay for multi-lane motorways that are designed for speeds up to 110km per hour — and then

impose a speed limit of only 80kph ,” said WSROC CEO Charles Casuscelli .

“ This is actually less than highways and arterial roads where traffic goes through highly urbanised areas and closer to pedestrians and other road users .”

“ At considerable cost to taxpayers , the government installs variable speed limit signs but uses them like fixed speed limit signs .

“ Variable speed limit signs should be adjusted to take advantage of optimal traffic and road conditions and allow traffic to move safely at the design speeds of our motorways , using them only to slow traffic when conditions require it .

WSROC is also calling for a review of the effectiveness of the existing ramp metering along the M4 motorway .

“ There were good reasons why the ramp metering installation on the entry ramp eastbound at Roper Road , St Marys was never turned on - it sat idle for over 25 years ! It simply did not work !” said Mr Casuscelli .

Ramp metering is a traffic management technique used to control the flow of traffic onto an expressway by regulating the rate at which vehicles can enter via traffic ramps .

“ The effectiveness of ramp metering on motorways depends on a variety

of factors , including the design of the system , the level of traffic congestion , and the behaviour of drivers ,” said Mr Casuscelli .

“ By regulating the number of vehicles entering the expressway , ramp metering can help prevent gridlock and reduce the frequency of accidents caused by sudden changes in speed or lane changes .

“ However , ramp metering systems must be carefully designed and implemented to be effective .

“ If the system is too restrictive , it can create excessive delays and frustrate drivers , leading to increased risk of accidents .

“ We are hearing from motorists and residents that the current arrangements that allows only two vehicles at predetermined intervals to enter the M4 , especially at peak shoulder periods , are causing excessive ‘ tail back ’ congestion on the feeder roads to the M4 .

“ Yet at the same time , at other entry points where ramp metering is not in effect , there are no delays for similar traffic volumes , either on the ramp or on the motorway itself .

“ WSROC agrees that increasing the speed limit in WestConnex would mean drivers spend less time on the road and more time doing the things most important to them — but a

WSROC CEO Charles Casuscelli .

meagre 10km per hour adjustment to the WestConnex motorway speed limits won ’ t achieve that , it needs to be an increase to 100km per hour and be extended to those parts of the M4 that are 90km per hour .

“ By slashing travel times on WestConnex and the M4 properly , we could achieve the government ’ s stated objective of injecting more than $ 80 million into the NSW economy every year through productivity gains .

“ A general increase to speed limits on the WestConnex and M4 motorways to 100km per hour or better , and a local area traffic study around ramp metered entry sites along the M4 to assess the relative effectiveness of ramp metering are the necessary first steps to cutting travel times , congestion , and pollution .”