1. Please find attached the closing submission made today by Mr. Tom Pikusa, our legal Counsel, on behalf of Community Groups. It is in word and pdf formats. Today was the final day of the hearing.
2. As you are probably aware, the Royal Park Protection Group Inc and the Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. were instructed by the Victorian Planning Panels Review Committee to undertake opening and closing statements on behalf of those community groups making submissions to the hearing. See the excellent executive summaries of 14 Community groups in addition to RPPG and PPL VIC and of 2 individual submitters.The groups are mainly from the municipalities of Melbourne, Moonee Valley, Moreland and Banyule.
3. See the disturbing new information contained in Land Requirements in Ross Straw Field from 274 to 279.
4. We were aghast to learn today that a large area of the south of Princes Park is right now being been fenced off to permit work to be started on "developing" the area for formal sport. A sign has gone up in Princes Park saying that the Park will be off limits until the end of the year while it is being upgraded to accommodate more clubs " due to the East West Link" (The reference is to clubs who will be dispossessed when the Ross Straw Field in West Parkville is being taken over for the EW Link construction.) It is an outrage that the alienation of Princes Park and work on the East West Link preempts the finding of the Review Committee on the East West Link and the Minister's decision. .
5. Our thanks go to our brilliant legal Counsel Mr. Tom Pikusa. During the course of the 6 week hearing, he not only made the PPL VIC and RPPG presentation but the opening and closing submissions on behalf of the community groups. He attended every day of the hearing and made invaluable contributions to the questioning of expert witnesses in cooperation with Councils' legal teams. The Review Committee Chair made a special point of thanking him (plus his clients ie us!) today. Thanks also to all those opponents of the East West Link who attended the hearing and gave us support in our mission to expose what is undoubtedly the most destructive, costly and backward looking (to the sixties) road project ever to see the light of day in Melbourne.
Regards
Julianne Bell
Secretary Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc and
Committee Member Royal Park Protection Group Inc.
PO Box 197
Parkville 3052
Mobile 0408022048
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