Community Rally – Residents rally in Fitzroy to protest over East West Link + photos

Community Rally against East West Link at Smith Reserve, Alexandra Parade. Speakers included Cr Stephen Jolly, Adam Bandt, Sam Scholten, Dave Kerin & locals affected by potential East West Link works. (31st August 2013)

Herald Sun: Residents rally in Fitzroy to protest over East West Link. Amelia Harris (31 August 2013)

More than 150 angry residents from Melbourne’s inner north have attended a rally against the East West Link.

Yarra Councillor Stephen Jolly, who organised the event in Smith Reserve, Fitzroy, told the crowd there had been a “tsunami of support” against the 6km road project, which is expected to cost up to $8 billion.

Federal Greens MP and local member Adam Bandt was among the attendees.

Mr Jolly said he was almost certain Tony Abbott would be prime minister in seven and a half days and $1.5 billion would be given from the federal government to the State Government.

He urged residents to “scare off investors” when they met the State Government by protesting and “hounding them” and to take inspiration from the Dandenong Ranges township of Tecoma, which was fighting construction of a McDonald’s.

“A small town when united around a specific issue, when they put their bodies on the line, can achieve huge things,” he said.

He said the campaign would look for any available legal challenge to “bog and slow down this government”, get trade unions on board and continue community action.

Mr Bandt said East West Link was a “zombie that won’t die” and one train took 800 cars off the road.

“Building more roads to fix congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity. It won’t work,” Mr Bandt said.

He said no one in Victoria wanted the tunnel and if it went ahead Victorians could say goodbye to public transport infrastructure for “a very long time”.

Northcote High School environment captain Sam Scholten said the group of 40 students he led “really hate this East West Link and we are going to fight it to the end”.

The 16-year-old from North Fitzroy encouraged residents to chain themselves to trees in Royal Park, which will be heavily affected.

Expressions of interest for the first stage of the link between Clifton Hill and Parkville closed on Thursday.

The State Government wants construction to begin before next year’s state election.

3 thoughts on “Community Rally – Residents rally in Fitzroy to protest over East West Link + photos”

  1. The Inquisitor says:

    Well done for turning up.

    I have to mention my astonishment as to not hearing anything more about this scandalous project in the federal election.

    Let’s just recall. Mr Abbot has pledged $1.5 billion for this E-W tunnel. Meanwhile we had the leaked emails from the traffic modelling section of VicRoads indicating NOBODY WITH EXPERIENCE HAS ANY CONFIDENCE WHATSOEVER IN THE TRAFFIC MODELLING. This means that this project looks likely to end up a financial catastrophe like the Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel and Brisbane’s Airport Tunnel in recent years.

    Now the head of VicRoad’s modelling department has resigned and can talk freely and has said that the modelling used to justify this project was dodgy because of inflated assumptions deliberately pumped into the model used.

    HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS TO MR ABBOT.

    WHY ARE YOU BACKING SUCH A MASSIVE PROJECT WITH NO QUESTIONS? WHY ARE YOU BACKING SUCH A MASSIVE PROJECT IN WHICH THE BUSINESS CASE IS BEING KEPT SECRET? WHY ARE YOU BACKING SUCH A PROJECT WHERE IT IS SO OBVIOUS THAT THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE HAS BEEN PUT UNDER POLITICAL PRESSURE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO BACK IT? IS THIS THE WAY TO RUN MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WILL TIE UP HUGE AMOUNTS OF PUBLIC AND SUPERANNUATION FUNDS FOR DECADES?

  2. Mark Duncan says:

    Well, well, well, Mr Abbot is saying the east-west is so good that he wishes it was going to be toll free. If the business case for it is so terrific Mr Abbot, please, let us in on it.

  3. Abandon home says:

    I know a resident of the Sapphire-Woolgoolga upgrade in Coffs Harbour, The torture these residents are enduring is being covered up and swept under the carpet. Noise dust and vibration during construction goes unabated and unmonitored. The EPA, local, state and federal Govrnments turn a blind eye to breaches and the contractors (Leightens, Baulderstone and the likes make monza profits). The RTA and any other government agencies have a brilliant way of washing their hands of any responsibility for monitoring by legislating that the contratcors “self monitor”. Deals are done behind closed doors without any residents concerns being addressed, and CEO’s and others will get massive bonuses for creating pain suffering and misery for residents. Many on that “Upgrade” have sold their homes for whatever they are offered just to get out of there. Others have locked up and left their homes whilst others have become very sick from effects of being subjected to extremes of construction noise, dust, diesel fumes, vibrations from compacting machines so bad that after months of constantly living in earthquake like conditions one just starts dry reaching.

    Worse construction starts at 7am and goies through til at least 6pm and can also go throughthe night and w/ends. Sleep, rest and the peaceful enjoyment of your home will be a thing of the past. NOBODY will constantly monitor the levels to keep workers in check for noise, vibrations etc (other than the contractors who only attend if one complains enough, pretend to be all caring then fudge the numbers with NO report to EPA to avoid collecting their fines).

    Worse the media turns a blind eye and refuses to report any of what is going on during construction other than “feel good progress stories”. There are many on the Coffs Harbour upgrade who’s lives have been wrecked after 5 years of ongoing construction.
    BEWARE of the lies…..

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