Foley hits back at “lazy” Greens

By Sean Car

Labor Member for Albert Park Martin Foley has hit back at City of Melbourne Greens Cr Rohan Leppert in response to his criticism of the state government’s transport plans for Fishermans Bend.

As reported in the September edition of Southbank Local News, Cr Leppert took to Twitter in August questioning whether the state government was serious about Fishermans Bend amid its decision to prioritise Suburban Rail Loop ahead of Metro 2.

Metro 2, a $20 billion underground rail route connecting Mernda to Werribee via Parkville and Fishermans Bend, has been recommended as a “high priority” project by the likes of the Rail Futures Institute and the RACV. Both the City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip have also publicly stressed the importance of the project.

The Fishermans Bend Business Forum (FBBF) also reiterated its concern and “disappointment” at the lack of funding commitment by the state government in delivering a train service to the precinct.

Premier Dan Andrews and his Labor Government reaffirmed its commitment to the $50 billion suburban rail loop ahead of Metro 2 this month, with Cr Leppert having previously joined a range of peak bodies in questioning the move.

“Fishermans Bend planned for 80,000 residents and 80,000 jobs but zero public transport is funded,” Cr Leppert said. “The government cannot leave precincts half-planned and expect them to succeed.”

Member for Albert Park Martin Foley responded by accusing the Greens of playing “cheap politics.”

He said that Cr Leppert and the Greens had “chosen to ignore” the “developer free-for-all” under former Liberal Minister for Planning Matthew Guy that Labor had put an end to, as well as revised planning and new infrastructure it had delivered.

This, he said, included the likes of the purchasing of the GMH Holden site and subsequent partnership with the University of Melbourne, a Fishermans Bend Secondary School and the “pre-work in delivering the necessary tram network across the river.”

“The Greens have demonstrated their lazy approach to the facts,” Mr Foley said. “Either they don’t put in the effort to know what their own council staff and state planning agencies are doing - or worse they deliberately choose not to know.”

“As the City of Melbourne has been an active partner in nearly all these measures it is surprising that the Greens have decided to play cheap politics. They should know this government delivered the biggest investment in our nation’s history on public transport - including the city-shaping Metro project well under way.”

“They should know a record investment in trams and trains is moving more Victorians especially in the booming City of Melbourne.”

“For Greens councillors to choose to ignore all these and other measures that have improved the City of Melbourne in general and Fishermans Bend in particular is disingenuous.”

“This is a government that will bring public transport to the heart of Fishermans Bend. This is a government that looks to partner with Melbourne City Council in all these efforts. The Greens should either get on board or get out of the way.”