- Published:
- Wednesday 7 February 2018
The Andrews Labor Government will continue to build the West Gate Tunnel because Victorians urgently need an alternative to the West Gate Bridge.
The Liberals and the Greens have wasted everyone’s time in the Legislative Council today in an unhinged and invalid attempt to block the West Gate Tunnel and send hundreds of workers home from the job.
This is an unprecedented act of economic vandalism, a cynical attempt to destroy thousands of Victorian jobs.
The Liberals did nothing for four long years - now they are siding with the Greens to try and stop this urgently needed project.
Matthew Guy has made it clear he opposes every single congestion-busting, job-creating project currently underway in Victoria– projects like level crossing removals, the Metro Tunnel and now the West Gate Tunnel.
The project has planning approval and has been through the most rigorous planning and environmental approvals process every conducted for a Victorian road project.
Any attempt to revoke the Planning Scheme Amendment is an attempt to send 700 people currently working on the project home and to put 6000 jobs at risk, including 400 jobs for Benalla.
This morning a broken-down truck caused chaos on the West Gate Freeway.
With no alternative to the West Gate Bridge, traffic backed up all the way to Point Cook Road and the flow on effects were felt on the Bolte bridge, the Tullamarine Freeway and right down the Monash.
When the West Gate stops, Melbourne stops – that’s why we need the West Gate Tunnel
Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan
“We will not let the Liberal-Green Coalition put these jobs at risk – this project is needed, and we’re getting on with it.”
“There are no legitimate grounds to revoke the Planning Scheme Amendment – this is a desperate political stunt from an opposition leader bereft of ideas and with his leadership under siege.”
“When he’s not busy blocking people on twitter, Matthew Guy is blocking the major projects Victorians urgently need. It’s irresponsible, it’s erratic, it’s irrational - everything Victorians have come to expect from the Liberals.”