Tara Murray
Greens Senator Janet Rice has backed residents’ calls to make sure the Sunshine and Albion precincts are properly redeveloped as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail.
Ms Rice visited Albion and Sunshine stations last week along with representatives of the Albion and Ardeer Community Club, the Sunshine Greater Community Alliance, state MP Sam Hibbins, former councillors Miles Dymott and John Hedditch, and former Greens parliamentarian Huong Truong.
Ms Rice, who is from Melbourne’s western suburbs, said there was so much potential for the development of the area.
“The whole situation is being undermined by ad hoc decisions on substantial infrastructure.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, you don’t get opportunities like this too often.”
She backed calls for an integrated plan.
Ms Rice said she would continue to pressure federal Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts of Australia Minister Paul Fletcher to ensure the development meet the needs of residents.
“I’ve met with minister Fletcher about the plans and I said the planning was substandard and that there has to be a better outcome.
“He was quite interested in that. I’ll have discussions with him about making a site visit.”
Albion and Ardeer Community Club president Neil Head said it was good to show more politicians the current situation.
“From a community perspective, the Albion station is currently one of the most dilapidated in the state and, unfortunately, is proposed to be left in that state, according to most recent proposals from the Airport Rail project.
“And at Sunshine, the current proposals for the Sunshine ‘Superhub’ looks more like a ‘midget’ than a ‘super’.
“The on-site discussions focussed on the community call for a ‘pause’ to development of this particular element of the Airport Rail track, to enable time for a proper economic analysis of the rail options and their cost/benefits.
“We are seeking an expert panel review, with public input, to reassure the community that the most effective return on investment is being obtained, and also that green space is maximised.”
“The local community is very concerned that currently Airport Rail decisions being made pre-emptively without overarching strategic plans in place for guidance.”
