Yesterday, Minister for Main Roads Craig Wallace announced that the Hampton to Geham upgrade of the New England Highway, including Cathedral Drive, will proceed exactly as planned. No concession or compromise has been granted to local residents concerned by the scope of the project, meaning that Main Roads intends to destroy 1400 rare and old growth trees within the adjacent road reserve. The decision is in clear defiance of the Department of Main Road’s own stated objectives for the project:
“To improve the road network in this area to provide safer travel for road users between Crows Nest and Geham and TO ENHANCE THE VISUAL AMENITY OF THE ROUTE AS A TOURIST DRIVE AND AN ACCESS FOR TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN THE CROWS NEST AND HAMPTON AREAS.”.
Craig Wallace’s decision is also in defiance of the fact that the forest through which Cathedral Drive passes is a recognised koala habitat, and is classified as R.E. 12.5.6c, an “Endangered” ecosystem under Queensland’s Vegetation Management Act (2005).
Click here to read today’s media statement from the Minister for Main Roads, Craig Wallace.
My response:
Craig Wallace’s decision shows a blatant disregard for the concerns of local residents, it ignores the detrimental effect the project will have on local tourism operators (the lifeblood of a small community like Hampton), and it shows no consideration whatsoever for Cathedral Drive’s status as a cultural, and historical icon.
This project is just another in a conga line of dumb acts by a narcissistic government in love with its “Smart State” image. Unfortunately the image bears little resemblance to the real thing. In reality the Bligh Government is populist in the extreme, making decisions based on the number of votes it can and can’t afford to lose in order to hold power.
The Cathedral Drive project is a prime example. In his announcement to parliament, Craig Wallace repeatedly stated that “safety must come first”, and that his decision wasn’t taken lightly. However, safety will always be a “lowest common denominator” issue because people tend to make decisions based on fear. If you stop and take a deep breath, you’ll find that statistically, Cathedral Drive is not unsafe when compared to other major highways. There has been one fatality and 26 crashes in almost 12 years, despite the fact that 3000 vehicles travel along the stretch of highway every day. Your odds of dying on Cathedral Drive are vastly better than they are from being struck by lightning, being eaten by a shark, or from falling off a ladder.
Local action group SAVE is seeking a win-win outcome to this issue. The group believes that Cathedral Drive can be upgraded to a higher safety level without compromising the road’s tourism values, its cultural status, or its significance as a classified, endangered ecosystem. The group expects Main Roads to adhere to their own stated objectives. But what’s most disappointing about Craig Wallace’s decision, is that though alternative proposals were canvassed with both the District Director Murray Peacock, and the Minister himself, those proposals were not given due consideration.
If you’re as outraged by Minister Wallace’s decision as we are, email him to express your disappointment.
Visit the SAVE website for more background info and a list of other contacts.
Read my 18th July Chronicle column on the Cathedral Drive road widening project here.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I haven’t noticed any branches dropping on to the road in front of my car lately, but IQ levels are certainly dropping off by the thousands every day! The Toowoomba region seems most affected by this unusual malady.
It may interest readers that there has been a staggering 70% increase in road fatalities in Afghanistan since the building of new bitumen highways in that country in recent years. The reason for this massive increase in the road toll is due to a combination of three things: good roads, increased speed, and bad driving. Good roads do not necessarily make roads any safer! (The above figure is NOT counting deaths due to suicide bombers or other war related deaths. These are solely civilian fatalities.)
It goes without saying that there aren’t many trees in Afghanistan!!!
:-)
Hi Ian,
It’s been a long time, yes, but I need to ask you about your poetry books. Would I be able to buy a copy of each one from you? Unfortunately, the ones I had were accidently lost with some things due to our change of residence, and I don’t have the Publishers’ names.
Hope everything’s been well for you.
Christina