By Xavier Smerdon
A QUESTION mark that continues to hang over the future of the Regional Rail Link is causing frustration for residents and local government.
Member for Tarneit and former Roads Minister Tim Pallas launched a petition on Friday, urging the Baillieu Government to go ahead with the project.
Wyndham Mayor John Menegazzo, who attended the launch of the petition, told Star the State Government seemed to be snubbing the Wyndham area.
“We’ve sent requests for urgent meetings with the premier and I know LeadWest have done the same, and the silence is deafening at the moment,” Cr Menegazzo said.
“It’s pretty poor on their behalf, and we’re disappointed in the lack of response.
“Like I said the silence is deafening and it’s not good.”
Cr Menegazzo said he was concerned about the government’s apparent lack of interest in Wyndham.
“Maybe they don’t care about this area,” he said.
“We don’t know. We want to sit down with them, we’d love the opportunity to sit down and discuss it.”
But Transport Minister Terry Mulder told Star he would be happy to meet with Cr Menegazzo and the Wyndham Council CEO Kerry Thompson.
“As requested by the City of Wyndham, my office has contacted Cr Glenn Goodfellow to advise that I will be pleased to meet the Mayor, CEO and Cr Goodfellow to discuss RRL,” Mr Mulder said.
“I will be offering the Mayor, Councillor and CEO some possible meeting times for the week beginning 20 February.”
Mr Mulder said the RRL remained under review because of the former Labor Government’s $880 million cost blowout.
Tim Pallas said he still believes the RRL will go ahead as planned.
“If they don’t proceed with it, and I don’t believe for one minute that they won’t, then the people of West Melbourne will never forgive and forget,” he said.
“It’s a little bit rich to say that there could be a blowout when it hasn’t even gone to tender.”
