Sunday, October 26, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sunday's rally in many local newspapers
TRANSPORT action groups across the state will rally at Flinders Street Station later this month after reports the State Government will back Sir Rod Eddington’s proposed east-west road tunnel.Read the original article in StarNewsGroup.com.au
The No Freeway for West Footscray group has joined forces with Brimbank Transport Action Group, Royal Park Protection Group, Yarra Campaign Against Tunnel, and the Flemington and Kensington Transport Action Groups to become the Coalition of Transport Action Groups (CTAG).
CTAG is urging residents to wear red and black - to represent the train lines and stations on Melway - and congregate at the Flinders Street Station clocks at noon on Sunday 26 October for a community rally.
The rally will then move to Alexandra Gardens for a picnic and entertainment.
Protesters will be arriving by train to highlight the state’s need for better and more frequent public transport services.
Debbi Woods from the Brimbank Transport Action Group has ordered 800 dust masks to distribute in a demonstration against the “pollution of traffic” the proposed east-west road tunnel would cause.
Anne Parsons, from the No Freeway to West Footscray group, said organisers were expecting a few thousand residents to attend.
The coalition organised the rally after a Herald Sun article last month reported the State Government was looking into building the proposed east-west road tunnel in the West but would delay construction in the eastern suburbs.
The article also said the government was likely to back the Footscray to Caulfield rail tunnel.
Ms Parsons said the coalition was concerned the State Government would do a Band-Aid job to fix transport issues.
“We don’t want it (the road tunnel), period,” she said.
“We’re worried that commuters’ needs and the needs of the new millennium aren’t going to be met.”
Ms Parsons said the State Government was too busy trying to appease voters in marginal seats in the East instead of listening to the concerns of residents in safe Labor seats.
“The blatant disregard and arrogance of this present Government to its constituents in the West is just overwhelming,” she said.
“It’s going to affect all of us because not only will our homes be affected, our lifestyles and our health… will be sitting under a plume of diesel emissions and pollution.”
Representatives from each group met at the Trades Hall last week to finalise details.
Victorian Government spokesperson Michael Sinclair would not answer questions about the State Government’s thoughts on the road or rail tunnel.
Mr Sinclair said the Government’s Victorian Transport Plan, which would be released in November, would “respond to proposals for Melbourne’s east-west corridor in Sir Rod Eddington’s report and other transport priorities across the state”.
Also articles in Maribyrnong Leader, Sunshine Star, and Williamstown Star
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Community Rally for Sustainable Public Transport
12 noon
Sunday 26 October
Followed by a family picnic in the park.
On Thursday, 25 September 2008 representatives from Community Action, Residential and Environmental Groups from Eastern, Western and Central Melbourne met.
The groups elected to work together to oppose the state government’s plans for an East-West Tunnel and Toll Roads and to advocate for sustainable transport.
The meeting agreed on a joint campaign commencing with a community rally on Sunday, 26 October 2008 at noon at Flinders Street Station followed by a family picnic in the park.
Note the day and time in your diaries, tell your friends, get a group together, bring your placards and watch this space for further information.
More details here - http://www.ycat.org.au/?p=71Poster available here (pdf).
Thursday, August 7, 2008
CANCELLED: Sustainable Public Transport - No Road Tunnels
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Yarra Community Against the Tunnel's first rally/family day
The details are:
- 1pm, Sunday July 27 at
- Smiths Reserve, Fitzroy, next to Fitzroy Pool,
- Melways Map 2C 5C.
- BBQ and entertainment.
- MC's: Corinne Grant and Rod Quantock
Speakers include Yarra resident Freda Watkin, Yarra Mayor Cr Judy Morton, Paul Mees, Richard Wynne MP and Cr Stephen Jolly. YCAT is a community coalition of individuals & local groups concerned about the impact upon Collingwood, Clifton Hill, Fitzroy and Carlton of the proposed tunnel linking the Eastern Freeway to Melbourne’s west. If you want to be involved with the campaign come along! Everyone can play a part no matter how big or small!
More at: http://www.ycat.org.au
Sunday, July 6, 2008
A message drafted in red on climate change
Demonstrators gathered in central Melbourne yesterday to demand that political leaders act urgently to combat climate change.Wearing red, members of more than 60 environmental groups marched to the Alexandra Gardens, where they formed a 140-metre-long human sign spelling "Climate Emergency".
Rally speakers included Greens leader Bob Brown, who described climate change as "a disaster which is on our doorstep". He said Australia needed to reduce its greenhouse emissions by at least 90% by 2050.
Protesters carried placards condemning the dredging of Port Phillip Bay, Victoria's planned desalination plant and the $9 billion east-west road tunnel proposed by transport expert Rod Eddington.
The demonstration followed Friday's release of economist Ross Garnaut's draft report on climate change, which warned that Australia risked losing natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu if it did not act now to combat global warning. The report also recommended that an emissions trading scheme should be operating by 2010.
Original article in TheAge - http://www.theage.com.au/environment/a-message-drafted-in-red-on-climate-change-20080705-32aa.html
And guess who was there... armed with some chalk?
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Climate Emergency Rally
BRUMBY & RUDD, GET SERIOUS!
RENEWABLE ENERGY not coal power
PUBLIC TRANSPORT not new freeways
NO DESALINATION PLANT -NO BAY DREDGING
RENEWABLE ENERGY not coal power
PUBLIC TRANSPORT not new freeways
NO DESALINATION PLANT -NO BAY DREDGING
Join the Climate Emergency Rally on July 5 to send a wake-up call to state and federal governments. New coal, new freeways and expanding sea freight, and desalination plants all increase our use of fossil fuels at a time when we must be cutting back dramatically. We are calling for a halt to these irresponsible projects, and urgent action to stop global warming. To send this important message to the government, we are going to form a 140-metre-long human sign to spell the wordsCLIMATE EMERGENCY!
(Don't forget to wear red!)
For more info see http://climaterally.blogspot.com/
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