Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (09:54): I ‍would like to congratulate the members of the Keep Champion Road Open group for engaging constructively and collaboratively to help get the best outcomes for our community. Over the past year I have had many conversations with Gill and Bea. I have arranged many meetings and tabled their petition, and just last week I managed to secure a meeting with a number of different organisations to understand some of the constraints and challenges associated with level crossings at Maddox and Champion roads. I would like to thank everyone who attended. It was a great opportunity to hear from AusNet about high-pressure transmission gas pipes, Metro Trains, VicTrack, Bike Network and members of the stakeholder liaison group. I think we learned a lot from the engagement.

However, what is extremely disappointing is the way that Hobsons Bay City Council have engaged with the whole process, because although council have been encouraged to engage, they really had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the table to participate. And it is unfortunate – council has been conducting traffic surveys in the area and they have received a TAC grant for safety improvements on Maddox Road, and this was an opportunity for them to present this information and engage constructively. Instead council claim they have not been engaged, and I know this is simply not true. In June last year the Level Crossing Removal Project met with the CEO and council officers to start the engagement. Then at the request of council, a councillor briefing session was kicked down the road until the end of November. Following that there have been fortnightly meetings between LXRP and council. I will continue to advocate for the best outcomes for my community, but I will do it in a respectful, collaborative way.