NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklin announced her new cabinet today, with the extraordinary announcement that a stand-alone ministry has been created for WestConnex.
Greens spokesperson for WestConnex and Member for Newtown Jenny Leong MP says that a special ministry won’t solve the WestConnex debacle.
“If Premier Berejiklian is looking for a fix to the disaster that is WestConnex, creating a Special Minister is not the answer. She needs to call for a halt to this project now and stop the haemorrhaging,” said Ms Leong.
“This announcement is an extraordinary acknowledgement from the NSW Government. It signals that they recognise that WestConnex is a basket case that needs special oversight, to manage the incompetence and bad planning decisions that have plagued the project.”
“The fact that this Minister will be Stuart Ayers, who as Sports Minister oversaw the debacle of the Sydney football stadium project and proposed building a stadium over Kippax Lake at Moore Park, is ridiculous.”
“The multi-billion dollar WestConnex has been pursued with a blind arrogance and with no serious consideration of alternative solutions to solve Sydney's traffic problems.”
“Further isolating WestConnex from a wholistic approach to transport and roads simply makes clear what the community has known for a long time - WestConnex isn't about solving congestion or improving the commute for the people of western Sydney. It's about the transfer of public money in to private hands, something the Liberal party in NSW has been prioritising since they came to power.”
“Perhaps the new Nationals Roads Minister has been smart enough to distance herself from this toxic project. Rather than spending $16.8 billion dollars on a massive road through the middle of Sydney, the Nationals must know it’s in both their political interest and the community’s interest to spend that money on lifesaving blackspot upgrades and other much-needed regional infrastructure,” she said.
