2017-09-20
Eastern Metropolitan MP Samantha Dunn has defended a group of residents that has been reported to the police by the North East Link Authority for raising awareness about the toll road.
"The Andrews Government has shown it does not care for the views of locals when it tries to ram through yet another big toll road.
"The residents affected by this toll road have rightly organised themselves and started doorknocking and leafletting in their neighbourhood to raise awareness of the project and its potential impacts.
“By reporting them to the police, the North East Link Authority is clearly trying to intimidate locals into silence and submission. The Authority should be ashamed of its oppressive strategy, and must be brought to heel by the Premier.
"Residents have a right to be concerned about the impact of this toll road on their communities. They have a right to organise, a right to associate with their neighbours, a right to door knock and a right to share information with each other.” said Ms Dunn.
Background
The Andrews Labor Government has announced there are four possible alignments for the toll road, but has indicated it believes “Option A” will be the cheapest and have the least impacts. Option would follow the Greensborough Highway south using existing road reserve and connect with the Eastern Freeway near Bulleen Road. This alignment will have impacts on the Heide Museum of Modern Art, Yarra Flats Park, Marcellin College and Trinity Marles Playing Fields. It will also require a widening of the Eastern Freeway between the Chandler Highway and Springvale Road, requiring extensive property acquisition and the loss of Koonung Creek Reserve.