[Greens-Media] Costa turns metro strategy into laughing stock

[Mithra Cox]

MEDIA RELEASE
16th March 2005

Costa turns metro strategy into laughing stock

Just two days after the metropolitan strategy fell apart at the seams
with senior US planning expert Professor Ed Blakely threatening to
resign, Roads Minister Michael Costa has turned the strategy into a
joke.

If we needed any more evidence that the wheels have fallen off the
Governments metropolitan strategy, new roads Minister Michael Costa has
resorted to dusting off Carl Scullys failed ideas from the rubbish bin,
Greens MP Sylvia Hale said today.

Even car loving Carl Scully thought that public transport such as light
rail would be more appropriate than another motorway from the Sutherland
Shire to the inner west.

While progressive planners are talking about light rail for Sydney, all
Costa can come up with is more motorways. The last thing Sydney needs is
more cars.

The notion of the metropolitan strategy has become a joke, with Costas
ridiculous decision to resurrect the prospect of building the F6.

Planning should involve a 30 year vision for Sydney, not be the whim of
Government Ministers who usually stay in the job for only a few years.

The Greens call on Planning Minister Craig Knowles to produce the
metropolitan strategy and put an end to ad hoc announcements, Ms Hale
said.