[Greens-Media] FW: MEDIA ALERT: 'Community opposition to $12 billion toll road gains momentum' (Greens NSW Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC)

[Mehreen Faruqi]

From: Mehreen Faruqi
Sent: Monday, 10 February 2014 1:33 PM
To: Mehreen Faruqi
Cc: Matthew Hilton
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: 'Community opposition to $12 billion toll road gains momentum' (Greens NSW Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC)

Media Alert
10.02.14

Community opposition to $12 billion toll road gains momentum

Yesterday, Greens Spokesperson for Transport, Dr Mehreen Faruqi joined over 300 concerned residents and local community leaders at a rally in Ashfield Park to support growing opposition to the O'Farrell Government's $12 billion wasteful WestConnex toll road project.

Dr Faruqi said "WestConnex is the largest infrastructure project in Australia, and yet the public has not seen the business case nor a detailed justification for why this is a priority. All we've seen is a glossy executive summary with pretty pictures.

"I call on the opposition and cross bench to support my motion to release the full business case relating to WestConnex.
"There is a lot of angst in the community regarding the acquisition of homes and the forced removal of families who have been in the area for generations.

"The government is heartlessly playing with the lives of longstanding community members, many elderly with limited opportunity to buy again in the area at Sydney's exorbitant real estate prices.

"Add to this, the widespread concerns around pollution and environmental destruction of vital community space such as Ashfield Park.

"All of New South Wales will be paying for this government's folly for decades to come if this project pushes ahead with more cars and more pollution coming into their suburbs than ever before.

"The O'Farrell government needs to invest in communities by implementing real integrated public transport solutions such as park and ride, light rail and safe cycleways rather than bulldoze through them to build unsustainable toll roads.

"While the push will start in Ashfield and Haberfield, WestConnex will continue picking off suburbs all the way down the earmarked corridor to the Tempe wetlands.

"WestConnex is a Sydney-wide dilemma and needs to be stopped. Communities are being taken for granted and the government needs to make the business case public."

Media Contact: Tamara Rouse 0419 142 200

Dr Mehreen Faruqi
Greens NSW MP

P: (02) 9230 2625 | F: facebook.com/mehreenfaruqi | T: @MehreenFaruqi | W: mehreenfaruqi.org.au
Mail: Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

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