By Dave Riley
BRISBANE — The campaign against the eastern tollway has entered a new stage. After a succession of mobilisations protesting the plan, state cabinet has announced a modified route for the $500 million project.
In the week leading up to the announcement, 2500 people gathered here on August 14 in a protest called by the Veto Eastern Tollway Organisation and the Queensland Conservation Council. The spirited rally, chaired by Ian Lowe, unanimously endorsed the call for a two year moratorium on freeway building by the Department of Transport.
In an attempt to prop up support for marginal Labor electorates along the route — which includes the seat of the state's environment minister, Molly Robson — cabinet decided to endorse a revised route which avoids some areas of parkland and the playing fields of John Paul College. However, the route still dissects the Daisy Hill Forest.
The forest, with its unique population of koalas, has been the major focus of community opposition to the tollway. However, the state government insists that its modification will placate local residents' concerns. Transport minister, David Hamill, told the electorate that "the modification will produce a socially and environmentally friendly road corridor which will service the needs of south-east Queensland long into the future".
The government's "solution" is to build the motorway under the Daisy Hill Forest — at an extra cost of $35 million. It insisted that it will spare no expense to protect the koala habitat and its announcement was linked to a $38 million "koala coast protection plan" which will include land purchase, research and conservation measures.
Veto chair, David Kehoe, told the press the residents of the local suburbs of Springwood, Daisy Hill and Redlands have made it quite clear that they do not want any road through the area. "We are not going to roll over and say that is the end of it. It is the start."
The tunnel plan has already received much criticism. At this stage no environmental impact study has been made of the new route, but already the three kilometre tunnel is being described as a scar on the forest environment. Aside from the logistics of its construction, it has been pointed out that less than a metre of topsoil will cover it. Since no large eucalypts could be planted in such a shallow bed the long term impact of the underground road is sure to destroy the forest environment.
Kehoe is quick to point out that no lines on a map will decide the final route and warns people against being hoodwinked by the government's ploy. He told Green Left Weekly that Veto still had a few surprises in stall for the government. After five weekends of mobilisations, which included a rally of 7000 in the Daisy Hill Forest, "we are still going to be there in the next few months". In October, Veto plans to begin a door-knocking campaign in the lead up to next year's state election.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transport has released maps of the proposed airport motorway on Brisbane's north side. There was a furore when details of this scheme were leaked in early July. The locally-based Airport Motorway Action Committee will hold a public meeting on Sunday, August 28 at Kalinga Park from 1pm to discuss the government's plans.