SETTING RECORD STRAIGHT
The record must be set straight in response to Richard Cannan’s letter on the Unanderra Station (Illawarra Mercury, February 16, 2017).
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The facts are that the former Labor State Government in June 2009 allocated $11.4 million to begin the planning process to ultimately install the lifts at Unanderra Station.
RailCorp (as it was then called) discovered additional work was required to move utilities including water, gas and signal cables to accommodate the lift shafts.
In September 2010, it was found an additional $5 million would be required for the project. The total costing in 2010-11 was $16.5 million.
Upon the election of the O’Farrell Government in March 2011 and the hand down of its first budget, the Unanderra Station lift project was cancelled.
Mr Cannan’s assertions are therefore inaccurate.
As the new Member for Wollongong I am determined to see lifts built at Unanderra station. Labor has already committed to the project and the Berejiklian Government should match that commitment in the next budget.
Paul Scully MP, Member for Wollongong
OPPORTUNITY LOST
The backflip on the Wollongong/Shellharbour merger announced by the Premier and which was driven by intense opposition from Gareth Ward has cost our region dearly.
The substantial savings which were identified and the benefits already being reaped by those councils that have merged will be forever lost to our region.
Does the “mongrel proposal” as described by Gareth also apply to those other areas already benefiting?
What is more of a concern, the $15 million which would have been injected into the proposed new council, is now not going to happen. I would suggest that this has been lost on a lot of residents who have applauded the decision to scuttle the local merger.
The non-merger decision will put this region back years and will significantly impact on the reforms that were being proposed.
If Mr Ward was serious in his opposition to the proposed merger he would immediately lobby the Premier to have the anticipated $15 million which was to be paid to the new council now paid to both existing councils to compensate them for such a monumental “stuff up”.
Once again, the Illawarra is being treated with total disregard by those in Macquarie Street.
Do they not realise that the Illawarra is a burgeoning powerhouse of the State and is playing a significant role in taking some of the pressure off Sydney with more affordable housing and a far better lifestyle?
Gareth, regardless of how you spin it, you have let the overall region down with your opposition to the merger of Wollongong/Shellharbour Councils.
A merged larger and well-resourced Greater Wollongong Council could have delivered immeasurable benefits to our community.
It is an opportunity lost.
Rod Oxley, Wollongong
TAKEN FOR A RIDE
Very few people would agree with D J Preece that Bill Shorten had been “bested” by Malcolm Turnbull’s petulant outburst in the Parliament (Illawarra Mercury, February 15, 2017).
However most would agree with his assertion that John Howard “took the Australian people for a ride”.
Unfortunately the ride ended in Iraq when Mr Howard joined with his Axis partners Blair and Bush to declare war on that country based on a lie.
To his credit, when confronted with 100,000 dead and a million homeless caused by the invasion Mr Howard admitted to being embarrassed.
Very decent of him
Bob Fulton, Darkes Forest