The Merrylands community will have to wait until at least 2023 for a Service NSW Centre, despite being promised as part of the 2019 State Election campaign.
As it stands there are Service NSW centres in both Parramatta and Auburn, however neither of these offer driving lessons.
Residents who require driving lessons must attend industrial areas in Wetherill Park and Silverwater, which lack access via public transport.
Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou recently launched a community petition to advocate to the Granville MP, Minister of Customer Service and NSW Premier to follow through with the promise for the new centre, after the Merrylands Motor Registry closed five years ago.
Cr Christou said it shouldn’t be up to the Council to “pick up the slack” and advocate for State Government promises.
“Not all the communities are able to access things online, whether that is the elderly or ethnic communities with language barriers, they are unable to access the online services on offer, so in-person services are crucial,” he said.
Cr Christou had previously advocated for the Service NSW centre to be delivered as part of the Council’s future Granville Administration building.
“The tender for the Granville Administration building will come back to Council within a couple of months,” he said.
“Either bring it back to Merrylands and get it done sooner or if they want to drag it out until 2023, and we want a firm commitment, then partner up with us and we’ll deliver it as part of the new Council building.”
Granville MP Julia Finn said she has been advocating to the Minister for Communications for the delivery of the centre and has suggested to him the closed Commonwealth Bank next to her office on Merrylands Road as a suitable location.
“If it is built in Granville on the site of a commuter car park it is going to take another five years at least before it opens,” she said.
“I’ve written to the Minister and raised it in Parliament; I am very keen to see Service NSW go ahead in Merrylands.”
A Service NSW spokesperson said the State Government is committed to its delivery.
“The new Service Centre planned for Merrylands will be a fully serviced centre inclusive of driver testing capability,” the spokesperson said.
“Property NSW is currently working to secure a tenancy to progress the delivery of the new service centre at Merrylands.”
Sign the Mayor’s petition by July 19 here: https://bit.ly/3A9rrxE.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.