Murphy v State Government of Victoria & Linking Melbourne Authority
Murphy v State Government of Victoria & Linking Melbourne Authority
East West Link – From a Done Deal to a Dead End*
*Headline from the Northsider (21 May 2015)
Presentation by Meghan Fitzgerald, Fitzroy Legal Service
This presentation about the Tony Murphy vs. State of Victoria & Linking Melbourne Authority East West Link Supreme Court Case was developed to identify some of the longer term impacts of the case from a legal perspective, and for the purposes of outlining why this particular litigation had some impact, which is, as you well know primarily because of the will and actions of the community.
Murphy v State of Victoria & Linking Melbourne Authority East West Link – From ‘Done Deal’ to Dead End* by Yarra Campaign for Action on Transport (YCAT)
The risk of unsolicted proposals
Will the Victorian government read the VAGO report, take a breath and reassess that unsolicted Transurban bid for Western Distributor?
Read the VAGO Report: Applying the High Value High Risk Process to Unsolicited Proposals
Transurban to get $3b extra in tolls despite ‘insufficient’ evidence of benefits (August 19, 2015)
CityLink owner Transurban will reap more than $3 billion in extra toll revenue from the widening of CityLink and the Tullamarine Freeway, in a deal signed by the Andrews government despite “insufficient evidence” it will benefit the state, the auditor-general has found.
The $1.3 billion widening of CityLink and the Tullamarine Freeway between Melbourne Airport and CityLink’s tunnels was approved this year as a combined government-Transurban project.
The plan to widen one of Melbourne’s busiest freeways and boost its capacity by 30 per cent was pitched by CityLink owner Transurban in 2012 and ultimately approved by the Andrews government in April. It had also been approved by the former Napthine government, but was put on hold after Labor scrapped the East West Link.
Transurban will spend $850 million widening the toll road between Bulla Road and the tunnels, including Bolte Bridge, in exchange for a one-year extension to its concession deed with the state and higher tolls for heavy vehicles. It is expected the company will ultimately reap $3.2 billion in extra toll revenue from the deal.
Talks on East West Link compo to start
The Australian: Talks on East West Link compo to start 23 December 2014
The new Victorian government has canned plans for the East West Link project. Source: Supplied
NEGOTIATIONS are to begin today over potential government compensation for the cancelled East West Link amid market speculation of a growing rift between lenders to the $6.8 billion toll road project and the construction consortium led by Lend Lease.
The unwinding of a $3.5bn debt facility, arranged by a group of financiers including the Commonwealth Bank, has emerged as a key issue in resolving the dispute between the state and the consortium.
Potentially complicating negotiations, the interests of the lending group have diverged from those of Lend Lease, which was to build the ill-fated project.
Market sources said this was because Lend Lease frequently bids for government projects and needs to maintain a good relationship with the state, while the banks are more concerned with recovering compensation.
However, a spokesman for the consortium said it was “united”. Continue Reading…