Beware Weasel Words for Bypass

THE government has announced that $10 million will be spent on the Scone bypass and for “improvement of cross-town connectivity” in the 2016/17 budget.

Joel Fitzgibbon, federal member for the seat of Hunter said it is good news to know the money for the overpass is still there.

“It demonstrates the $45million set aside by the Labor government in the 2012/13 budget is still there,” said Mr Fitzgibbon.

“The $10 million is not additional money, rather it is part of the original $45, but they have committed to spending $10 million in this budget,” he said.

“However, they have used the words ‘improvement of cross-town connectivity’ to deliberately keep things vague so they won’t have to make a decision on the project before the election,” Joel Fitzgibbon said.

Replacing the term ‘rail overpass’ with ‘improvement of cross-town connectivity’, may even indicate the government has reneged on the promise of an overpass.

Tony Windsor in Scone on Monday.

On Monday night in Scone, Tony Windsor said a common tactic by governments was to deliberately confuse and divide a community by presenting lots of options and therefore drag out the process and give them more time before they need to spend the money.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the Minister has told the department to drag this process out,” said Mr Windsor.

Wayne Bedggood, Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shire Council said they will stand firm for both a bypass and a rail over bridge.

“Council’s position has not changed; we want a bypass and rail overpass and we are sticking to that,” Mr Bedggood said.

“We had a fairly positive meeting with the RMS last week and they have conceded to make the interchanges more workable and they acknowledged the community as a whole were not happy with any of the rail overpass options, so they are working on that,” he said.

“We still want the rail overpass, Council’s standpoint has not changed.

“They have promised to have the bypass bedded down by June this year and hopefully at the same time we have at least two acceptable rail overpass options that will go along with the project,” he said.

“They are saying it is way over budget already, but we have given them options that are much cheaper and they are having a look at it, so I am hoping for a far more positive community consultation when they are here in June,” Wayne Bedggood said.

The Office of Barnaby Joyce, federal member for the seat of New England was not available to clarify what ‘improvement of cross-town connectivity’ meant this morning.