East West decision is reminiscent of the dead parrot sketch
The Victorian Premier is spending hundreds of millions not building a road and onlookers from the other states are probably pleased the stuff-up has occurred elsewhere, for once.
The Prime Minister has taken a leaf out of the Monty Python parrot sketch when he says the East West Link isn’t dead (“East West Link project decision will cause jobs carnage: Tony Abbott”, online, 17/4). Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is metaphorically banging the parrot’s head on the counter saying “it’s snuffed it”, and, “this is an ex-road project”.
Voters can be forgiven for turning away in disgust when they haven’t been directly consulted on single issues such as the East West Link or electricity and port privatisations.
Repetitive shouted claims of mandate belie the fact that voters elect mostly on a range of issues. When we are to spend large sums on such projects it would make sense for each of the parties to build a detailed case, then ask the electorate for its choice. There is no reason Andrews could not return to voters and ask whether this is what they want.
A single-issue plebiscite would avoid successive governments resurrecting and reburying the poor parrot that is the East West Link.
Craig Mills, Kew, Vic
Congratulations to Daniel Andrews for achieving a good result getting Victoria out of the debt that was the East West Link. Victorians had clearly expressed opposition to this project well before the election, and it was extremely poor government for former premier Denis Napthine and his crew to try and force this on us.
It was a project fraught with problems due to a lack of proper process. Tony Abbott is in danger of being made to look like a fool if he doesn’t stop trying to undermine Andrews.
The proposal was a back-of-an-envelope decision after throwing away the infrastructure project that had been carefully developed over several years leading up to being scrapped by the Coalition government, a really stupid action on their part. Victorians want a world-class public transport system, not another white elephant.
Kerry Baker, Ivanhoe, Vic
