Thursday, 12 September 2024

 Steve McGHIE (Melton) (10:21): For the third time I am raising the Silverdale noise mitigation wall that the Melton City Council have neglected to build. Residents have put up with excessive noise from the Western Freeway for too long. In 2018 the council allocated $2.1 million to build the wall, bringing joy to the Silverdale estate community, who felt their voices were finally heard. However, in a disappointing turn of events the Melton City Council withdrew their commitment to building the wall, showing utter contempt and disregard for these rate-paying residents, citing cost increases. I have seen the council’s legal advice, which states that the developer and council have an obligation to build it and could face a class action from these residents, but without a litigation fund, how could these rate-paying residents afford a class action should it come to that?

I have met with a number of these families who are directly impacted by the noise pollution from the Western Freeway. They are hardworking and honest people who have worked hard to have a home in Melton, but right now they are being left behind by the Melton City Council, who are taking their rates and ignoring their broken promises. The council is trying to pass this issue to the state rather than meet their own obligations. Residents should lobby candidates in the upcoming council election to get the commitment to building the wall reinstated. If the current councillors will not advocate for these ratepayers at Silverdale, they do not deserve to be re-elected. The Melton City Council has a surplus of over $300 million, yet they cannot spend $6 million on this wall to improve the health and welfare of their residents.