COMMUNITY OUTRAGED: SPEECH TO NSW PARLIAMENT
Kate Mackaness 19 October 2012
There is simmering rage in the Hawkesbury Region after a recent speech in the NSW Parliament in which the Member for Londonderry, Mr Bart Bassett moved a Notice of Motion in the Legislative Assembly.
On 18 October 2012, Mr Bassett, a long term sponsor of the highly questionable Option One project to demolish the historic Windsor Bridge and use the adjacent heritage precinct of Thompson Square as the access route for a higher, wider concrete structure across the Hawkesbury River, gloated that plans have “now been expedited for work to commence on building the new bridge at Windsor”.
The announcement has not gone down well with locals, who point out the mandatory Environmental Impact Statement is yet to go on exhibition.
“Look, it’s been obvious from the beginning that the NSW Government is determined to bulldoze this appalling project through our heritage precinct and town centre,” says the Chairman of Community Action for Windsor Bridge, Dail Miller, “but there are supposedly robust, transparent processes still to be completed, to determine whether this project should be allowed go ahead. The Local Member’s speech makes it clear the NSW Government sees those processes as irrelevant.”
Local businesswoman, Megan Wood is equally furious, “in this speech, to the Parliament of NSW, the Local Member states, ‘the new bridge at Windsor (that) will assist in alleviating traffic congestion and improving safety for motorists in the electorates of Londonderry, Hawkesbury and Riverstone,’ yet the RMS repeatedly tell us this is a like-for-like replacement project. If it will alleviate traffic, then it is NOT like-for-like. Whose telling porkies?”
Pete Reynolds, local business owner, wants to know about budgets and asks “How can they expedite a project estimated to cost $45 million when they only have $4 million in the Budget?”
The announcement by the Local Member comes hard on the heels of questions asked of both the Minister for Heritage and the Minister for Roads and Ports during recent Estimates Committee hearings. Minister Parker (Minister for Heritage) admitted that the Government had turned off all heritage protections without consulting with her and Minister Gay (Minister for Roads and Ports) was unable to answer questions regarding weight limits on the Bridge. Locals, now fearful the Government is determined to skip the proper processes and just start building, are already briefing Senior Counsel, in preparation for a looming legal battle.
Read the full transcript of Bart Bassett's speech here.
Kate Mackaness 19 October 2012
There is simmering rage in the Hawkesbury Region after a recent speech in the NSW Parliament in which the Member for Londonderry, Mr Bart Bassett moved a Notice of Motion in the Legislative Assembly.
On 18 October 2012, Mr Bassett, a long term sponsor of the highly questionable Option One project to demolish the historic Windsor Bridge and use the adjacent heritage precinct of Thompson Square as the access route for a higher, wider concrete structure across the Hawkesbury River, gloated that plans have “now been expedited for work to commence on building the new bridge at Windsor”.
The announcement has not gone down well with locals, who point out the mandatory Environmental Impact Statement is yet to go on exhibition.
“Look, it’s been obvious from the beginning that the NSW Government is determined to bulldoze this appalling project through our heritage precinct and town centre,” says the Chairman of Community Action for Windsor Bridge, Dail Miller, “but there are supposedly robust, transparent processes still to be completed, to determine whether this project should be allowed go ahead. The Local Member’s speech makes it clear the NSW Government sees those processes as irrelevant.”
Local businesswoman, Megan Wood is equally furious, “in this speech, to the Parliament of NSW, the Local Member states, ‘the new bridge at Windsor (that) will assist in alleviating traffic congestion and improving safety for motorists in the electorates of Londonderry, Hawkesbury and Riverstone,’ yet the RMS repeatedly tell us this is a like-for-like replacement project. If it will alleviate traffic, then it is NOT like-for-like. Whose telling porkies?”
Pete Reynolds, local business owner, wants to know about budgets and asks “How can they expedite a project estimated to cost $45 million when they only have $4 million in the Budget?”
The announcement by the Local Member comes hard on the heels of questions asked of both the Minister for Heritage and the Minister for Roads and Ports during recent Estimates Committee hearings. Minister Parker (Minister for Heritage) admitted that the Government had turned off all heritage protections without consulting with her and Minister Gay (Minister for Roads and Ports) was unable to answer questions regarding weight limits on the Bridge. Locals, now fearful the Government is determined to skip the proper processes and just start building, are already briefing Senior Counsel, in preparation for a looming legal battle.
Read the full transcript of Bart Bassett's speech here.