19 December 2007

F.O.I REQUEST ON TRARALGON BY-PASS

East Victorian MP Peter Hall today (Wednesday 19 December) lodged a Freedom Of Information application in a bid to find out what is happening with the proposed Traralgon by-pass.

“It is frankly ridiculous to have to take this action, but the State Government simply refuses to release the results of its own inquiry,” Mr Hall said. “Many people – council, local residents and businesspeople – are extremely frustrated by the lack of information, so this is a way by which we can hopefully find out what is going on.”

He called again for the Government to release the information as soon as possible, rather than have to be forced through the Freedom Of Information process.

“All people want to know is which is the preferred by-pass route,” he said. “I can’t for the life of me understand why people should not know that. We all know there has been an inquiry, we know that there are a couple of options and we know the by-pass will be constructed one day.

“All we want to know at the moment is where the route is, so that planning can take place for the future development of the Traralgon-Morwell corridor.”

Mr Hall and his Nationals’ colleague, Morwell MLA Russell Northe, have been pursuing the Government for months now.

Mr Northe pointed out that an inquiry early this year was a supplementary inquiry following a first inquiry in 2004.

“People locally want to know what the future holds for the area so they can make business and personal decisions about development, including housing, which is becoming a bigger issue with each month that passes,” Mr Northe said.

The supplementary inquiry was completed in the first half of this year, and Mr Northe has a letter in which the previous Premier, Mr Bracks, stating that the committee report was due for completion in the first week of July.

Mr Hall raised the matter in Parliament early in November.

“We wonder what there is to hide, or whether it is simply the State Government doesn’t realise this is an important issue,” Mr Hall said.

“I think the State Government is treating the people of this area with contempt and what’s worse, is actively holding back the progress of the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland.”

He said he and Mr Northe would push the Freedom Of Information application through as quickly as possible.

Media contact:                  Peter Hall      (03) 5174 7066   or 0427 747 066