Call to attend the parliamentary debate on East West Link legislation on Tuesday 3 September 2013

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A request from Julianne Bell, Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc., calling for people to attend the parliamentary debate on East West Link legislation this Tuesday 3 September 2013

Tuesday 3 September 2013 is another D Day for the East West Link. The Bill – Major Transport Project Facilitation (East West Link and Other Projects) Amendment Bill 2013 is scheduled for debate and a final vote in the Upper House of Parliament. Parliament meets at 2 pm on a Tuesday. Government Business starts at 3: 30 pm.

The Bill is listed second on the agenda so you might have to sit through another Bill which concerns education. All the issues about the East West Link might well be thrashed out in public. (If you have not already done so look up Hansard and read the debate in the Lower House on 22 August 2013. (See www.parliament.vic.gov.au)

We need opponents of the East West Link to sit in the public gallery to show support for parties voting against this Bill (Labor and as far as we know the Greens.) Note no banners or placards are allowed and mobile phones have to be switched off. Suggest you wear trains not tollroads badges. You can ring the Upper House (aka the Legislative Council) on Tuesday morning late to check if the Bill is still on the agenda. Phone: 9651 8678. Or you can ring me on 0408 022 408. Leave plenty of time – 20 minutes at least to go through security outside Parliament House at the top of the stairs in Spring Street and to check with the reception staff in the foyer of Parliament House where to find the Legislative Council chamber.

On Monday or before the debate in the Upper House I suggest that you send the the Hon Matthew Guy MLC Minister for Planning the message: “I would like to convey to you that I am totally opposed to the East West Link Tollway, as are most Melburnians. I consider that the Major Transport Project Facilitation (East West Link and Other Projects) Amendment Bill 2013, about to come before the Upper House of Parliament this week, will – if passed – remove our democratic rights to proper consultation on major projects.

You could add some or all of the following summary (in these or your own words):

I am of the view that the EW Link project will not solve traffic and freight transport problems nor fix congestion; will vacuum up $8 billion of State funds which should be spent on public transport, in particular, rail projects; will devastate Royal Park, Travancore Park and the Moonee Ponds Creek; will impact on the Melbourne Zoo, the Royal Children’s Hospital, the State Netball and Hockey Centre and the Urban Camp; will obliterate whole neighbourhoods along its route, affect the amenity of the inner suburbs; and destroy heritage streetscapes.

His email address is: matthew.guy[AT]parliament.vic.gov.au. If you choose add copies to the Premier Dennis Napthine premier[AT]dpc.vic.gov.au and Terry Mulder Minister for Public Transport and Roads terence.mulder[AT]parliament.vic.gov.au