OAKESHOTT INDEPENDENT
OAKESHOTT SUPPORTS USE OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCUTRE POWERS ON PACIFIC HIGHWAY
Independent MP for Port Macquarie, Robert Oakeshott, today endorsed calls by business lobby group NSW Business Chamber, to see the State Government use their critical infrastructure powers for the Pacific Highway planning process, reminding everyone that the Premier of NSW declared the highway as critical infrastructure on December 8, 2006 and these powers now need to be used.
"The Premier made the bold pre-election announcement on December 8 last year and this was broadly supported by north coast business. This was on the back of concerted lobbying by the business communities of the north coast throughout most of 2006 to see these powers given, and the announcement by the Premier was therefore welcomed, Mr Oakeshott said.
"If the business lobby group NSW Business Chamber are saying Government needs these powers - I say they already have them. If they are saying Government needs to use these powers to complete the planning process - I say I couldn't agree more, Mr Oakeshott said.
"The Mid-North Coast is leading the way with completion of Pacific Highway projects with the final section of Coopernook through to Herons Creek now funded and construction to begin shortly. The politics further up the coast, however, has been quite bizarre from people slowing down Pacific Highway planning works for a vast number of strange reasons, thereby slowing down construction of the Highway itself, Mr Oakeshott said.
"I have seen arguments such as cemetery traffic in Kempsey being affected by the new Highway route, six silky oak tress in Kempsey being threatened by the upgrade, the mysterious east-cost emu in Grafton being threatened by a Highway upgrade, and development in Coffs being reduced if the Highway is moved to a by-pass option, Mr Oakeshott said.
"I have even seen a Greens MP and a National Party MP arm in arm in a victory salute, stopping the highway going through a particular route in far north NSW, Mr Oakeshott said.
"In the end, hard decisions have to be made about this important Highway upgrade, otherwise no decisions will be made at all. We need to move away from parochial local interests to think of the greater needs of a safer and more efficient highway for all of us, and this timely reminder of the powers available to the Plannning Minister, should also remind all of us to be encouraging the Minister to use them, as well as resisting the temptation to play NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) politics wherever the opportunity arises on Highway planning. Fortunately, I haven't seen it in Port Macquarie nor south of here. Unfortunately, it seems to be rife further up the coast where the Highway is at its worst, Mr Oakeshott.
17 May 2007