By Christine de Kock
IF the State Government does not allocate funding for the upgrade of Footscray Railway Station, the Maribyrnong City Council will consider instigating a public lobbying campaign.
Mayor Janet Rice said the council would “turn to the community if we don’t see action in the next month” from the State Government.
She said the community would be asked to “keep pressure” on the government in the lead-up to the state elections.
The council has written to various government departments requesting funding since 2004.
Cr Rice said the station was “run-down, dirty and hazardous”.
Council officers have put together a report, which was tabled at the council meeting last night (20 June) outlining the problems with the station.
It is estimated 12,000 passengers uses the station during the week.
Under the Melbourne 2030 policies the government wants public transport usage to increase by 20 per cent by 2020.
Cr Rice said the council was in a bind. “(We) don’t own any part of the station precinct but we need it to be upgraded for Footscray to move ahead.”
“In the past two years the State Government has funded $500,000 for the $800,000 Maddern Sq redevelopment and $1.5 million for the $3 million-plus Nicholson St Mall redevelopment, but Footscray station is – and has always been – our priority for Footscray. We were encouraged to think this was a priority for the State Government too, when in November 2004, then Planning Minister Delahunty announced that Foots-cray station precinct would be Victoria’s first priority development zone.”
The council is particularly smarting after the government handed out millions to other transit cities for upgrades to their stations.
Asked if Footscray missed out on funds because it was a safe Labor seat, Cr Rice said it seemed to “suspiciously” look that way.
State Member for Footscray, Bruce Mildenhall, said he would be happy to lobby the State Government if it was done in a “civilised way”.
“I’ve been asking for it in the State Budget for the last three years so I would be unlikely to not jump on board that bandwagon,” he said.
He said the onus was on the council to get their figures right before lobbying for the funding.
“I think the onus is on them (the council) to spend as much time getting the figures right as they do on agitation because one of the problems was that based on the council’s advice I was asking for $5million and we got close to getting it.”
“But when DoI (Department of Infrastructure) and others looked at it they said this is more like $15 million and that made it a lot harder for me to get it.”
