By Gabriella Payne
The Liberal Nationals have taken the State Government to VCAT as concerns grow over its “secretive” behaviour in refusing to release “key documents” to the community in relation to the Pakenham level crossing removal project.
Liberal Eastern Victoria Region MP, Edward O’Donohue, voiced his concerns publicly on Tuesday 27 April, describing the government’s refusal to provide the opposition with the documents as “deeply troubling”, adding that the local community had “a right to transparency and accountability”.
“If the Andrews Labor Government has nothing to fear, it should have nothing to hide,” Mr O’Donohue said in a statement.
“The community has a right to transparency and accountability but yet again the Andrews Labor Government is snubbing its nose at both taxpayers and commuters.”
The Victorian level crossing removal project is set to remove 17 level crossings along the Pakenham line as part of the government’s $15 billion investment to help improve safety and reduce congestion throughout the area.
The authority’s website says construction on the Pakenham corridor is planned to begin in mid 2021, with all 17 crossings expected to be gone by 2023/24 and the new stations at Pakenham and Pakenham East completed by 2024.
But Mr O’Donohue said that the government was “already billions of dollars over budget” and the level crossing removal project was “plagued with management issues” – having been reviewed twice already by the Auditor-General.
Mr O’Donohue believes the documents should be made readily available to the public, as there should be nothing for the state government “to hide”.
“Why the need to go to VCAT to get the advice and information central to the removal of these level crossings, all the while spending tens of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on expensive lawyers to keep secret these important documents?” he asked.
The Gazette reached out to Bass MP Jordan Crugnale’s office for comment on the issue, but had not heard back before the paper went to print.
However, Ms Crugnale’s office did encourage any concerned residents to attend an online community information session on the Pakenham level crossing removal project, set to be held this week.
The online information session will be conducted via Zoom on Thursday 29 April between 6pm and 7pm.
To learn more about the project, residents can register online and submit their questions for the free public information session at: https://pakenhamlevelcrossingremovalproject.eventbrite.com.au
Zoom details will be sent out 24 hours prior to the session.
For the most recent update on Pakenham’s level crossing removal project, visit https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/publications/pakenham-community-update-december-2020
