[Greens-Media] Pacific Highway upgrade: MP urges people to have their say

[Kristian Bolwell]

Media Release 
11 August 2005 

Pacific Highway upgrade: MP urges people to have their say 

With 19 August the closing date for public submissions for the NSW parliamentary inquiry investigating the impact of the  Pacific Highway upgrade, residents of the NSW north coast are being urged to make their point of view heard in Macquarie Street, by  Greens MP Lee Rhiannon who is visiting the North Coast tomorrow.

"An expanded Pacific Highway will have a dangerous impact on the communities of northern New South Wales, so its important for people to have their say about the need to maintain the local environment," Greens MP and Transport Spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said today.

"Nobody wants to see northern NSW become a gigantic truck stop on the way to Sydney and Brisbane, but that's precisely what could happen if the Pacific Highway gets expanded to become a multi-lane super highway as proposed by the federal and state governments.

"For too long, successive governments have been slaves to the truck industry with disastrous results for the environment, excessive working hours for truck drivers and road safety.

"The Greens believe that the future of Australia's transport needs are best served by an expanded freight and high speed rail network," Ms Rhiannon said.



For more information * 9230 3551, 0411 638 320




Kristian Bolwell
Adviser to NSW 
Greens MLC 
Lee Rhiannon
tel: 02 9230 3551
fax: 02 9230 3550
www.lee.greens.org.au