By Corey Everitt
A State Government petition has been started calling for a ‘halt’ to Lang Lang’s proposed quarry expansion until community needs have been considered, such as the ‘long-promised’ bypass.
Eastern Victoria MP Renee Heath has sponsored the petition calling for the State Government to work with Cardinia Shire Council on an update to Lang Lang’s Township Strategy, which will consider the current needs of the community before the proposed ‘Strategic Extractive Resource Areas’ (SERA) is approved.
“The Lang Lang community are sick and tired of being taken for granted. The Government needs to work with the council and the local community on a strategy which considers all the needs of the town,” Heath said in a previous statement.
“The community has been cut out of the decision-making process and this proposal will remove their right to object to or appeal any decision. It waters down their property rights, devalues their land and they are expected to just cop it.
“This proposal is the latest in a series of anti-democratic and disastrous actions by the Allan Government.”
The petition will be tabled before the Legislative Council at a later date; its initiation comes as the community consultation wraps up.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale thanked the community for raising the ’very valid and ongoing concerns’ regarding Lang Lang.
“I have long advocated to council to revisit the Lang Lang Township Strategy and spoke many times for the need to vision the township with community,“ Crugnale said.
“With the new estates and a growing population, this work would identify and prioritise what is needed, it would be staged out and so applications for various funding programs could be done accordingly, and importantly it means things are not done ad hoc but there is a vision everyone is working towards, informed and steered by the community itself.
“We know the CFA station has outgrown, a trail connecting to Kooweerup would be appreciated, better public transport, an adventure playground for older kids, paths, crossing, streetscape beautification, art, playground and amenities upgrades and of course better road safety and infrastructure – there are so many great ideas to bring together and work towards realising.“
The Lang Lang District Business and Community Group (LLDBCG) submitted their views and reasserted concerns around truck movements in strong terms.
“It will totally be because of good luck, not good management, if there is not a death or, worse still, multiple deaths and injuries due to any more inaction by the State Government,” the submission said.
“If the State Government continues to ignore the bypass and road safety generally for a moment longer it will be culpable should there be an accident.”
Crugnale said both the ’council and State’ need to ’do better’ to service the community.
“I am here to facilitate the Stage 1 Bypass understanding that council bought land many years ago which would be to link the Westernport Hwy to Ranges Road which is a local road – this would get the trucks out of the main street straight away,“ Crugnale said.
“This would then mean that the trucks would increase on McDonalds Track and so a proper pedestrian crossing again on this council road would be needed. We then need to look at Stage 2 which may be a more medium term project given the complexities of the area.“
The submission also opposed the 250-metre buffer set out in the draft proposal, stating the dust and noise will be ‘in the face’ of residents and the impact on habitat will leave it difficult ‘to ever be able to restore or rejuvenate’.
The draft SERA plan also strips residents of the power to object to new quarries or extensions if they are more than 250m from a residential area.
The LLDBCG said in this scenario, impacted residents would be ‘lucky enough to find out that a permit has been issued before works commence’.
If the infrastructure, environment and amenities are not brought into a comprehensive plan, LLDBCG’s submission says, then it will result in the ‘slow death’ of the town.
“If the State Government was to move forward without a plan set in concrete that addresses our concerns it would be a display of arrogance due to the lack of care or accountability to locals,” the submission said.
