Lateline: East West Link contracts signed. Emma Alberici. 29 September 2014
The Victorian government has signed the contracts for its controversial eight billion dollar East West Link just hours after winning a legal challenge in the High Court.
Transcript
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: The Victorian State Government has signed the contracts for its controversial $8 billion toll road hours after winning a legal challenge in the High Court.
A resident opposing the development sought the court-imposed delay.
The Victorian Government and the consortium building the road argued the delay in signing contracts would cost taxpayers $435,000 a week.
ANTHONY MURPHY, EAST WEST LINK OPPONENT: Obviously it’s disappointing. We were denied the – an injunction today in the High Court.
EMMA ALBERICI: The State Government denies the contracts have been rushed through.
DENIS NAPTHINE, VICTORIAN PREMIER: We’ve always said we were going to have the contracts signed by October and that’s always been our schedule.
EMMA ALBERICI: However, the East West Link faces another legal hurdle. The Court of Appeal has granted the applicant a retrial in his bid to access the Government’s business case for the project.
