Hannah Hammoud
Brimbank council will raise three critical matters for consideration at the upcoming Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) state council meeting on October 13.
Council has endorsed three draft motions that will be submitted to the meeting, each highlighting urgent matters of concern, including the construction of the Melbourne Airport Rail, upgrading the Calder Freeway, as well as housing affordability and homelessness in the municipality.
The upcoming meeting is an opportunity for council to help influence state government investment and policy on its advocacy priorities.
Council is calling on the state government to deliver the Melbourne Airport Rail in a “timely manner”, and has said the current road network servicing the airport is insufficient to sustain its long term growth.
Council said any delay, or withdrawal of funding will require substantial investment to increase the road capacity to cater for the forecast growth of Melbourne Airport, which is set to double to more than 76 million by 2042.
Council is also imploring the state government to release the findings of the business case undertaken to improve the Calder Freeway, and to no longer stall in delivering its commitments.
Brimbank councillor Ranka Rasic said the Calder Freeway needs to be fixed ‘urgently’.
“Earlier this year RACV launched the ‘My Melbourne Road Survey’ giving road users the opportunity to have their say on safety concerns on Melbourne’s transport network. The Calder Park Drive and Calder Freeway intersection was identified amongst the top 10 in Brimbank. This stretch of road is dangerous and it should have been fixed years ago,” she said.
The upgrades detailed in council’s motion include, creating additional lanes from Keilor Park Drive to Melton Highway and widening the Maribyrnong River Bridge, constructing a full diamond interchange at the intersection of the Calder Freeway and Calder Park Drive and duplicating Calder Park Drive between the Calder Freeway and the Melton Highway.
Brimbank council will also band together with other supporting councils to call on the state government to provide direct support for local government to respond to homelessness concerns.
