Members statements
North East Link
Mr GUY (Bulleen) (13:19): I again raise the issue of compensation for impacted Bulleen residents of the Labor government’s current North East Link plans. It is astounding that a government that claims to put people first has not had the decency to respond to letters, emails and pleas from a number of my local residents for financial help, given the major impact this project is already having on people whose properties are either directly adjacent to or located in some of the works areas. I have raised the issue of Hugh O’Brien, a local resident of mine, who has not even had the decency of a reply to his family’s plea for help. A property he built—which followed all planning guidelines and a permit that he has fully complied with—was forced to be sold, or it looks like it may need to be sold, due to a complete inability, at any reasonable price, to sell it or to hang onto this property.
When it was begun there was no works area zoned; there obviously now is. The rationale for the devaluation of this property price is quite obvious. At a very minimum I would have thought a reply from the planning minister would be warranted, a reply from the North East Link Authority would have been expected, but he has had nothing and quite rightly thinks that is a disgrace.