[Greens-Media] Westconnex - another toll road to destruction

[Newman, Freya (Sen L. Rhiannon)]

MEDIA RELEASE
13 July 2016

Westconnex  - another toll road to destruction

Greens NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon and Greens Victorian Senator Janet Rice have commented on the approval of stage 2 of the Westconnex motorway, announced yesterday by Minister Hunt.
Senator Rhiannon said, "By every single metric - financial, social, environmental and health-wise - Westconnex is a destructive project and the public are being forced to foot a scandalously high bill to pay for it.
"Minister Hunt has rubber stamped the Coalition's environmental approval for Stage 2 of WestConnex, despite this mega-motorway posing serious threats to endangered plant and animal species.
"Bulldozing the habitat of the Green and Golden Bell Frog and relocating them has previously been slammed by experts.
"Furthermore, destruction of 78 per cent of the critically endangered Cooks River Castlereagh Iron Bark Forest of the Sydney Basin means that this urban forest won't survive.
Senator Rice said, "The Minister's approval of stage 2 of Westconnex shows it's 'toll roads as usual' under Malcolm Turnbull, continuing Tony Abbott's roads addiction.
"Despite his continued selfies on trains, Turnbull is yet to convince anyone of his policy commitment to public transport, which is the only long-term solution to unclog our congested cities in the 21st century.

Media contact:
Lee Rhiannon - Freya Newman 0411 669 022
Janet Rice - Sam Drummond  0400 352 935