Vol. No. Vol. 2618No. 4127
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SIGNED: East Grampians Rural Water Supply’s new pump station was launched yesterday, the first stage of an $85.2 million project. Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora, left, pictured with GWMWater managing director Mark Williams and chair Caroline Welsh, opened the construction site at Lake Fyans Pump Station. Once complete, the project will service up to 1500 rural farming properties with a reticulated non-drinking water supply. See next week’s The Weekly Advertiser for more information. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Highway works stall BY COLIN MacGILLIVRAY
V
ictorian opposition leaders are lamenting a lack of progress on Western Highway upgrades between Buangor and Ararat, but State Government officials say the project’s resumption is imminent.
The government is awaiting the completion of a cultural heritage study, with hopes construction will resume later this year. Shadow roads and road safety spokesperson Danny O’Brien joined Member for Lowan Emma Kealy and Western Highway Action Committee chairman Kevin Erwin in Stawell and Ararat last week to discuss the project with residents.
Mr O’Brien said progress on the upgrades, which involve the duplication of the Western Highway, had ‘ground to a halt’. “We all know there have been issues delaying the project, but Labor can’t even give the people of Ararat and surrounds a timeline for when they will be addressed,” he said. “Ongoing delays exacerbate safety risks along the Western Highway. “Despite a $100 million injection from the Federal Government last year to help with another Jacinta Allan cost blowout, the project remains in limbo with no completion date in sight.” Ms Kealy said delays were compromising the safety of motorists. “The communities along the high-
way have waited too long, suffered too many flat tyres and damaged rims, and we’ve lost far too many lives. It is time the promised benefits of this project are delivered,” she said. A State Government spokesperson said it was disingenuous of the opposition to blame the government for holding up the project, as the project was unable to proceed until the completion of a legally-mandated cultural heritage management plan, CHMP. The CHMP relates to Aboriginal cultural heritage within the work area between Buangor and Ararat, including birthing trees sacred to the Djab Wurrung people. Progress on the project was halted in 2018 when activists set up three camps known collectively as the Djab
Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy with the aim of protecting the trees. Subsequent legal challenges saw the original 2013 CHMP, which approved the removal of the birthing trees, overturned. Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, the Registered Aboriginal Party responsible for Aboriginal heritage in the region, is working with heritage consultants to complete a new CHMP before work can continue. “The CHMP will comprehensively detail the results of cultural heritage assessments, potential impacts and management to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage,” the government spokesperson said. “We have engaged a qualified heritage advisor to ensure that, while
working collaboratively with Eastern Maar, we record values associated with the project area.” Mr Erwin, who is also a Northern Grampians Shire councillor, said he met with the government last week and was assured the project was progressing. “The big hope is that it is ready to roll for the next construction season, which is from spring onwards,” he said. “The delays have been around the cultural heritage. I think it’s been to the Supreme Court three times. “It is a bit disappointing a project that was supposed to be finished in 2018 is only half built and there’s not been a blow struck for five years.” Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Horsham museum progress • Monthly AgLife • Young wins gold at nationals AUDITED: 21,534 COPIES October 2022 to September 2023
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