In 1993 Bendigo Council published its “Bendigo 2020 strategy”. Its plan included a ring road for Bendigo on the east of the city which branched off the Calder Highway at Big Hill, swung through the Shire of Strathfieldsaye and joined the Midland Highway at Epsom. It appeared to be a sound plan, especially as the majority of the route was undeveloped land with very few dwellings. Sadly, council failed to follow up its vision and 25 years later the route is impossible. Because council failed to reserve land for the project, thousands of homes have been constructed on property earmarked for the road. So here we are in 2018, our city is clogged with traffic and there is an even more pressing need for a ring road, but MP for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan’s first response to Liberal Candidate Ian Ellis’ call for a ring-road to be considered is insults and abuse. Perhaps that’s why any real development of public transport in Victoria has crashed to a halt. Anyone in her department with an innovative idea would be shouted down for daring to voice an “unplanned, unfunded thought-bubble”. Her comments indicate she expects every idea to be expressed as a fully-planned, fully-funded, fully-budgeted, “shovel-ready” project, complete with a business case. Just like her $200 billion ditch-with-a-train in Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs… Oh. Wait a minute… That project has no plan, no funding, no business case, no consultation, no budget and hasn’t been vetted by the state’s independent statutory planning authority, Infrastructure Victoria. Hmmm. Sounds like the very definition of an “unplanned, unfunded thought-bubble”.
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Peter Wiseman, Mandurang
READ MORE: Liberal candidate promotes Bendigo ring road
Voters bemused, disgusted
The following was sent to Senator Bridget McKenzie: Thank you for not replying to my email concerning the budget abolition of the energy supplement. I am aware of it not occurring and has been scrapped.
The events have left the Australian voters bemused and disgusted with what you all get up to in Canberra rather than helping Australians. As my mother used to say, “self-first last and always – anymore self again”. How apt was her attitude? However, during my mother’s years, the politicians were more caring about people but not today. I know that if Sir (Black Jack McEwan) John McEwan was still alive what occurred would not have taken place. He stood up to the Liberal Party in 1967 after the disappearance of Harold Holt and said if you make McMahon Prime Minister we (the then Country Party) will walk out of the coalition. In other words, he was looking for a better candidate to perform the activities of the Prime Minister. I witnessed you on television talking up fossil fuels and saying, “coal, coal, coal”. I don’t think you understand the ramifications with planet warming and other alternatives. Indeed, all governments have failed to deliver on this because notice of closing of power stations was known years ago and action should have been taken at that juncture. You don’t build dams and power stations overnight. I suggest you have a look at the MGM film “How Green was my Valley” 1941 which showed the terrible impact on the coal mining town and the exploitation of children in the Welsh mines. This should have been a wake-up call to governments but no you all pander to the big end of town. Australian politics and the Constitution has to change to reflect a 21st Century approach by government but you don’t listen to members of the proletariat.
John Barry, Golden Square
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