Vol. No. Vol. 2818No. 6 27
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NEEDS ADDRESSING: Observing a display to highlight Homelessness Week in Horsham yesterday are Katrina and Harlow Mackley. The event saw 1000 Origami houses displayed on Horsham Post Office’s wall to show how many people across the Wimmera do not have a home. Wimmera Homelessness Alliance chair Lindsay Stow spoke at the event, and is calling for state and federal governments to commit to building social homes to address the critical shortage. Story, page 5. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Duplication demand A
BY LAUREN HENRY
uthorities have reduced the speed limit on a dangerous stretch of the Western Highway between Ararat and Buangor to 80 kilometres an hour, following three fatalities this year.
The fatalities – two last month – as well as other serious collisions on the section of the highway east of Ararat, has prompted a community outcry for authorities to ‘fix the road’. The section of highway remains as single lanes after the duplication project stalled in 2018 due to activists setting up three camps, known collectively as the Djab Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy, with the aim of protecting trees of Indigenous sig-
nificance. In 2019, the State Government agreed to alter the design of the project to avoid two trees identified by some members of the Indigenous community as being of cultural significance. But six years later, construction of the duplication remains at a standstill. In direct response to the fatalities and community outcry, the 80km zone began last Wednesday, and includes the Langhi Ghiran rail overpass and curved sections of the highway. Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said the Department of Transport and Planning was implementing a ‘new, safer speed limit of 80 kilometres’ this week, with additional improvements, such as better signage and line markings, to follow in coming weeks.
“I have heard the community’s urgent calls for road safety improvements along the Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat after too many tragic accidents along this stretch,” she said. “I have raised local concerns directly with ministers to get action and am pleased to see immediate changes to keep more drivers safe. “Even if shovels were in the ground tomorrow for the highway duplication, the scale of the project would take time. These improvements are needed now as a stop gap to keep drivers safe.” Ms Haylett has written to and met with Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams and Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne
to discuss the issues. “They have heard our community’s urgent calls for road safety improvements while we await construction of the highway duplication to begin,” Ms Haylett said. She said while she was pushing for progress on the duplication – including more information for the community about the next stages – in the meantime, road safety improvements were ‘desperately needed’ to help prevent crashes. Road safety research shows the human body is more likely to survive a head-on crash at 80km than 100km. Social media posts on the Transport Accident Commission and The Weekly Advertiser sites has attracted hundreds of comments – many from residents
of Wimmera and Grampians regions who travel on the highway regularly – displaying outrage by the speed limit changes, labelling them as temporary, band-aid fixes to what is a serious and deadly risk to the community. Western Highway road-users are demanding the duplication project recommences immediately. In March, a Major Road Projects Victoria spokesperson told The Weekly Advertiser that work on the new Cultural Heritage Management Plan had made sizeable progress in collaboration with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, the Registered Aboriginal Party responsible for Aboriginal heritage in the region, and heritage advisors. Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Mine employee charged with fraud • Ed turns 105 • Minyip-Murtoa inaugural premiers Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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