Liberal Party accused of 'con job' after funding pledge for bypass in marginal seat

Tanya Plibersek (left) visited the electorate of Gilmore on Wednesday to launch Labor MP Fiona Phillips' campaign. (ABC Illawarra: Jessica Clifford)

A Liberal Party election pitch to fund a major road project in a marginal seat has been criticised by Labor as a "con job". 

The Morrison government has pledged $40 million, including $8 million in state funds, towards planning works for a bypass of Nowra, in the electorate of Gilmore on the New South Wales south coast.

The announcement on Tuesday from the party's candidate, former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance, came several days after incumbent Labor MP Fiona Phillips promised $5 million for the road.

"It took Fiona coming out last week saying, 'we'll commit to it', then they've said, 'OK, well we'll commit to it' and we've said we'll match their funding," senior Labor MP Tanya Plibersek said.

"Honestly, Andrew Constance was part of a state government who could have built it any time.

"Scott Morrison has been in government federally for close to a decade, they could have built it at any time.

Andrew Constance (far right) announces bypass funding alongside federal MP Paul Fletcher and state MPs Shelley Hancock and Sam Farraway. (ABC Illawarra: Jessica Clifford)

'Fallen on deaf ears'

The Shadow Minister for Education and Women was in Gilmore on Wednesday to launch Ms Phillips' campaign.

The first-term MP won the seat at the 2019 election after it had been held by the Liberal Party since 1999.

Land for a possible bypass of Nowra was first earmarked by Shoalhaven Council in the 1980s. 

While making the bypass funding pitch this week, Mr Constance conceded the community's calls for the road had been ignored for three decades.

But he said the project could now be started under the leadership of NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Sam Farraway, and federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher, who joined him for the announcement.

"When I say deaf ears, I think the main thing that's happened is because of the leadership of the two ministers [Sam Farraway and Paul Fletcher], bureaucracy now needs to take note and get on with it," Mr Constance said.

"Ultimately, it's the political leadership that drives the bureaucracy and both Sam and Paul have done that," Mr Constance said.

Both major parties have pledged funding for a bypass of Nowra. (Supplied: NSW Government)

'No doubt it will sway votes'

Former Shoalhaven councillor Bob Proudfoot has been a passionate advocate for a Nowra Bypass and said he was pleased to see it finally on the agenda for both major parties. 

"I have no doubt it will sway votes," he said.

"It is absolutely one of the biggest issues in the electorate of Gilmore.