Poll: East West Link

[jb03]

Bacially, the Naptime government rushed through and signed the deal to ensure that their rich business partners got paid either way. There needs to be a royal commission held to investigate this. It's just blatant corruption.

Faults on both sides i reckon. With the election looming pretty staggering that the libs would sign the deal but i suppose Napthine needed one in place before the election and that was the only way the consortium would agree. And old Dennis loved a Utopia style photo opp with fluoro vest and hard hat on.

But Andrews should never have said he wasn't going to build it - he would have won the election anyway. Then post election he had both sides covered by building the road for the those that wanted it/the right and advising those against/the left that he had no option as the Libs had left in place a ridiculous compensation payout. If in the future the road bacame a success or popular he could then of course take the credit.

My old man is as Labor/to the left as anyone can be and even he thinks it will be built at some stage.

 

[IanG]

But Andrews should never have said he wasn't going to build it - he would have won the election anyway.

Dunno about that, it certainly seemed to be the major election issue against Napthine.

 

[mk33]

The tunnel will be back on the agenda and built in four years time anyway so in the end just more money wasted again by Daniel Andrews along with the desal plant, myki and intralot.

 

[Ian4]

But Andrews should never have said he wasn't going to build it - he would have won the election anyway.

but he wanted the fed govt funding to build the metro rail tunnel (or rail grade separations).

My old man is as Labor/to the left as anyone can be and even he thinks it will be built at some stage.

so do I... although the rail tunnel should be done first. that's all I've ever argued really.

when they eventually get to the EW link, they should do the western section only, then link up the ring road between Ringwood and greensborough... this would make the section from the tulla to the eastern unnecessary IMO.

Dunno about that, it certainly seemed to be the major election issue against Napthine.

abbott himself said the state election was a referendum on the EW link. I think its pretty fair to say that Andrews had a mandate to scrap it. he kept his promise, despite being put under a lot of pressure to not do so.

The tunnel will be back on the agenda and built in four years time anyway so in the end just more money wasted again by Daniel Andrews along with the desal plant, myki and intralot.

that's assuming the LNP win the next election. if they use this controversy in the next election campaign, they have no hope because i'd like to think most fair minded Victorians know who's at fault here (despite the Murdoch media's campaign to try and pin it on Andrews).

 

[jb03]

abbott himself said the state election was a referendum on the EW link. I think its pretty fair to say that Andrews had a mandate to scrap it. he kept his promise, despite being put under a lot of pressure to not do so.

Pre election there was no mention of exorbitant compensation payouts. If it was a referendum it was based on nil cost to not build.

 

[Rosy]

Pre election there was no mention of exorbitant compensation payouts. If it was a referendum it was based on nil cost to not build.

Taxpayers to be hit with $1.1b compensation bill if East West Link scrapped: Coalition

 

[martyshire]

Pre election there was no mention of exorbitant compensation payouts.

Really? I recall heaps!

 

[jb03]

Really? I recall heaps!

Fair enough. May have been scaremongering from the Libs but i recall Andrews saying that there would be no compensation - or that he would change legislation to avoid it (or was that post election?).

 

[Ian4]

Andrews is saying that the figure bandied around by the papers ($300 million difference to what the herald sun said compared to the age said) is the money already spent by the govt on works already done, plus the compulsory acquisitions and the like. none of this money is allegedly compo.

anyway to me, whatever the real figure is, it won't absolve the former napthine govt from 100% of the blame.

 

[vinpaul]

I'm just disappointed that something that is badly needed is not being built, that's why it annoys me. In fairness to Andrews he said he would do this pre-election, I didn't agree with him then, I don't know. We need all the infrastructure projects we can get across the line in my book. Roads and public transport as well.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

*smile*' idiot *smile*. Enjoy your single term Andrews. *smile* Labor.

 

[AngryAnt]

*smile*in' idiot *smile*. Enjoy your single term Andrews. *smile* Labor.

He was voted in partly on that basis, he has a mandate, despite the Libs trying to sell the taxpayers down the river before the election. Or would you prefer he's more like your mate Toned Abs and just breaks every promise he made?

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

He was voted in partly on that basis, he has a mandate, despite the Libs trying to sell the taxpayers down the river before the election. Or would you prefer he's more like your mate Toned Abs and just breaks every promise he made?

Why's he blowing $11b on a rail link from Kensington to South Yarra? Who's going to use that *smile*? What a *smile*ing imbecile! Continuing the Labor tradition. Spendthrift *smile*s!!

 

[poppa x]

I agree on the waste of a Kensington to South Yarra line.
Richmond is the central point for all the lines in the east and south.
If you are going to connect to Kensington it logically has to be from Richmond.
So why South Yarra?
Methinx it's politically driven.
South Yarra = rich dudes so eff 'em.
Richmond = inner city greenies and we don't want to upset them like the Libs did with East/West link.

2c.

 

[IanG]

Why's he blowing $11b on a rail link from Kensington to South Yarra? Who's going to use that sh!t? What a *smile*ing imbecile! Continuing the Labor tradition. Spendthrift *smile*s!!

You didn't address the question.

If he broke the promise he would have been 1 term nothing is surer.

 

[Ian4]

I'm just disappointed that something that is badly needed is not being built, that's why it annoys me.

this is where I completely disagree with you.

can you please tell me why it should have been built?

*smile*in' idiot *smile*. Enjoy your single term Andrews. *smile* Labor.

bahahahahaha. I dare the LNP and Murdoch media to raise this at the next state election campaign. I double dare them. as I said yesterday, all fair minded Victorians know who's 100% at fault here.

Why's he blowing $11b on a rail link from Kensington to South Yarra? Who's going to use that sh!t? What a *smile*ing imbecile! Continuing the Labor tradition. Spendthrift *smile*s!!

what is wrong with you? such a respected poster coming up with this dribble. do you ever catch public transport? clearly not.

I agree on the waste of a Kensington to South Yarra line.
Richmond is the central point for all the lines in the east and south.
If you are going to connect to Kensington it logically has to be from Richmond.
So why South Yarra?
Methinx it's politically driven.
South Yarra = rich dudes so eff 'em.
Richmond = inner city greenies and we don't want to upset them like the Libs did with East/West link.

2c.

point 1: the original plan was from Kensington to Caulfield, but (wrongly in my opinion) went the cheaper option and swing it around to south yarra.
point 2: the main idea is to reduce congestion in the city loop, which has reached capacity.
point 3: the tunnel line will go all the way down swan st/st Kilda road from Melbourne uni to the domain. so not only can Melbourne uni students get to school by train, but it will reduce the reliance on trams on Swanston st (which is the business tram thoroughfare in the world).
point 4: once complete, most train lines will run across town like a proper metro system should (eg. Werribee to Sandringham, Sunbury to Frankston, etc). this will dramatically increase capacity, and allow new train line extensions, as well as new lines to the airport, Rowville and so on.

 

[poppa x]

I think you're missing my main point Ian.
Having a starting point at South Yarra excludes easy cross city travel by patrons on the Belgrave, Lilydale, Alamein and Glen Waverley lines.
This could be fixed by starting the connection at Richmond station, which is the central point for the above lines plus Frankston and Dandenong/Pakenham lines.

What am I missing?

 

[vinpaul]

this is where I completely disagree with you.

can you please tell me why it should have been built?

to ease congestion on huddle st and provide better access to the north and the ports from the east. I live in east and job requires me to drive to city ports and north, it would have certainly been a big benefit.

 

[mk33]

*smile*in' idiot *smile*. Enjoy your single term Andrews. *smile* Labor.

Agree just a waste of money for something that is needed, that was labour project in 2008 which was endorsed by Liberals in 2010 when they got in governement.
Andrews just wanted vote from trendy inner suburban inbred greenies and does not really care for anybody that lives in 20km radius outside if the city who wants to travel on the other side.

 

[Ian4]

I think you're missing my main point Ian.
Having a starting point at South Yarra excludes easy cross city travel by patrons on the Belgrave, Lilydale, Alamein and Glen Waverley lines.
This could be fixed by starting the connection at Richmond station, which is the central point for the above lines plus Frankston and Dandenong/Pakenham lines.

What am I missing?

you just change trains at flinders st or south yarra instead of Richmond. fwiw, this is an argument for a new cross city train line that connects those 3 lines up in the outer suburbs (like they have in Sydney). which of course will probably never happen in our lifetime. but if you refer to my point 4, changing our train system into a metro system will increase capacity, and while it might mean some will have to make connections, the waiting time will be reduced due to extra train frequencies. I dunno if you've been to London, but trains run through tube stations every 2-3 mins.

to ease congestion on huddle st and provide better access to the north and the ports from the east. I live in east and job requires me to drive to city ports and north, it would have certainly been a big benefit.

how will it ease congestion on hoddle st? people heading into the city from the east will still wanna exit at hoddle st. the EW link will not solve this problem.