Published in Green Left Weekly, 8 April 2017

Opponents of the $16.8bn WestConnex tollway project held a lively protest outside NSW Parliament on April 6 built around two demands: Not another cent for WestConnex; and No new tolls. 

NSW Greens spokesperson on WestConnex and Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong MP, spoke in Parliament on Wednesday 4 April 2017, to challenge the myth that WestConnex is a done deal.

Today the Government snuck through a motion supporting the construction of Stage 3 of Westconnex. The Greens will always oppose this wasteful and harmful project. 

NSW Greens spokesperson on WestConnex Jenny Leong MP has called on the Minister for WestConnex to stop pitting communities against each other with false solutions, in response to today’s announcement that the proposed mid-point tunnel site for the M4-M5 Link will be at Darley Road and not next to the Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt campus.

The community has known for a while that WestConnex stinks - but now it is having a real impact on local residents, workers and businesses.

Residents In St Peters, Sydenham, Tempe, Newtown and beyond have been suffering for two weeks because of a foul, toxic odour coming from the WestConnex construction site at the old Alexandria Landfill site next to Sydney Park. Shamefully, no real action was taken until Greens Member for Newtown Jenny Leong raised this with the Minister.

Member for Newtown Jenny Leong MP has questioned the Minister for WestConnex on his inaction regarding the foul, toxic odour emanating from the WestConnex construction site in St Peters.

“What is the point of the Minister for WestConnex, if he is failing to take proper oversight of the serious concerns around the construction of this tollroad.

“It’s unacceptable that residents have complained bitterly for two weeks directly to the Minister and various bodies, but saw no real action until I raised it with the Minister today.

Increasingly, the NSW Government and the Sydney Motorway Corporation have failed to enforce safety and compliance conditions on WestConnex work sites and recent reports of serious defects in contractor’s trucks, shows that this project is running out of control and putting us all at risk.

The NSW Minister for WestConnex, Stuart Ayres is ultimately responsible for the safety of residents and workers in relation to all WestConnex works.  He must demand that the Sydney Motorway Corporation enforce all compliance conditions and that contractors and sub-contractors conform to all road safety regulations.

We have written to Stuart Ayres seeking his urgent intervention to resolve the mounting serious health and safety concerns regarding WestConnex construction worksites and truck haulage but to date he has not responded. 

What a week it has been for WestConnex – with the release of a damning report by the National Auditor General, the arrival of the Minister for WestConnex in the NSW Parliament, and Labor supporting a Greens motion in the Senate condemning the Federal Government for lack of governance in expending federal funds for the project.

Instead of congratulating itself for spending $17 billion dollars on a toll road that Western Sydney doesn't want or need, the government should scrap Westconnex and invest in public transport. Read our contribution to the debate in NSW Parliament. 

Published in the South Sydney Herald, February 2017

Can our new Premier improve the score?

NSW has a new Premier. We’re relieved to see the back of Casino (or is it Chainsaw?) Mike, but will our new Premier be better?

Premier Berejiklian has already indicated how her Government will respond on a number of key issues. On others, we’re still in the dark. Over the coming months we will see whether the Premier is genuinely willing to listen to community concerns and take action to repair some of the disastrous decisions made under former Premier Baird.