On June 14 the Burrinjuck Greens took a motion to the State Delegates Council {every two months Green groups from across NSW meet, one group, one vote} which was being held in Goulburn. The motion asked that the Greens support the duplication of the Barton Highway. The motion was endorsed, including the provision for a cycle way and animal corridors, grass roots democracy in action.

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon was present, earlier this year she had taken the proposal to the Senate, which passed with bi-partisan support. She indicated she would take the proposal back to the new Senate and again ask for support. One wonders when our local Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor and State Member Pru Goward will stand on the floor of Parliament arguing for the full duplication of the Barton Highway, not in dribs and drabs, not in 30 years time, but now.

Local Labour what about you having it as an agenda item at a local branch meeting and asking your MP’s to debate it in Parliament? National Party you too can support the proposal. At the moment the only one who has done anything in regards to this topic is Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon.

Council is to be congratulated for solving the problem of QUANITY with regards to the town’s water supply. Council did not receive any State or Federal assistance in raising the level of the dam wall. It was a huge job, and a job well done.

Council now needs to re-focus on the problem of QUALITY. The ‘inversion’ problem which is occurring because the wall was raised could not have been foreseen. However the problem does exist. What is the point of spending millions of dollars to pipe water to Murrumbateman if when you finally get to turn the water on, it looks bad and is brown. Council might be correct when they say “you can drink the water” great, but if you can’t wash in it, the kids hate it, it just does not make any sense. Council needs to be flexible with this problem and not have the cart before the horse.

The Park & Ride fiasco in this town is just that “a fiasco”. Let’s hope in future Council will be transparent, will put all the facts on the table and will inform the public. The logical place for a park and ride is at the bus depot in Rossi Street, where people already do park and ride.

Good luck to the parents and citizens from Mount Carmel, keep up the good fight.

Call 0437 680 020 or visit the Burrinjuck Greens at www.facebook.com/burrinjuckgreens