SP Newsletter No.236
The Eddington report commissioned by the State Labor Government has proposed the biggest capital expenditure program in Australian history at $18 billion. The report has recommended that more than half of this money should go to the building of a tunnel linking the Eastern Freeway to Melbourne’s western suburbs.

The Socialist Party is totally opposed to this plan. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly the tunnel will not ease congestion or solve Melbourne’s transport problems. Secondly the money should be spent on public transport as an alternative to cars.

Contrary to what the State Government has been telling people, this tunnel will not ease traffic congestion or make it quicker to get into the city. Most figures show that over 85 percent of traffic is not traveling from the east-west through the city. The majority of people are actually going into the city for work. This tunnel is not about making the lives of ordinary people easier it is about serving the needs of the big transport companies.

It is the State Labor Government backed by the Federal Government who are pushing for this tunnel. At the same time we have Federal Labor Ministers like Lindsay Tanner and State Labor Ministers like Dick Wynne who are claiming they oppose the plan.

There is also a raft of Labor candidates in the upcoming Council Elections on November 29 who are opportunistically saying they also oppose the tunnel. These people can not have it both ways. While Tanner says he opposes the tunnel, as Finance Minister he will be the one signing the cheque for the Federal Government contribution to the tunnel!

You can not be a member of a party which consistently prioritises roads above public transport and then claim to be an environmentalist when your seat is at stake. The Socialist Party urges people to turn the November Council elections into a referendum on the tunnel. Labor need to be punished for their lies and for putting big business ahead or ordinary people.

The Victorian road freight industry is actually very big business. It contributes 14.5 percent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. This is expected to grow significantly in Victoria, especially after the bay has been dredged and bigger ships with more containers start coming into the Melbourne docks.

It is estimated that by 2031 the Port of Melbourne will be handling about 8 million containers a year, a fourfold increase from this year!

With such a big increase the transport companies need quicker and easier ways to move their goods. A tunnel linking Melbourne’s west to the east would mean a much more profitable option for the trucking companies wanting to move stock into the eastern suburbs. Big business profits is at the heart of the issue not traffic congestion or the environment. We need to move towards moving this stock by rail instead of road.

To top it off this road will be tolled and the costs will be out of reach for many anyway. In a time of global warming and environmental crisis it is crazy to be pumping such large amounts of money into roads when public transport is lacking in most suburbs.

Public transport creates more jobs and is better for the environment. With a fraction of the $18 billion we could revolutionise public transport therefore eliminating the need for such reliance on cars.

The Socialist Party supports ALL Melbourne suburbs having access to a regular and integrated public transport system. This is the only solution to solving Melbourne’s transport problems and reducing the effects that cars have on our environment.

It is clear that Labor can not be trusted to deliver decent public transport in this city. On that basis the only way we will achieve this is by organising an active campaign against the tunnel and for free public transport.

Community rally against the tunnel

Assemble 12 noon Sunday October 26 outside Flinders Street Station, corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets City.

This rally has been organised by the Coalition of Transport Action Groups (CTAG). This group strongly opposes the Eddington Report’s recommendations for the construction of tunnels, new freeways and toll roads in the West, Inner, East and South of Melbourne.

CTAG is asking the Brumby government to reject the Eddington Report’s Recommendations and to spend the $18 billion on a sustainable public and rail freight transport network in the west, east, inner and southern suburbs of Melbourne. Please come along.

SP election campaign in Yarra

All Victorian Councils will go to the polls on November 29. SP will be running a strong campaign in the City of Yarra. We will be defending Stephen Jolly’s seat in the Langridge ward and we will also be standing Denise Dudley in the Melba ward and Anthony Main in the Nichols ward.

We will need help door knocking, letter boxing, staffing the pre polling booths and on election day. We also need to raise money to pay for the campaign. If you can help our campaign in any way, contact our National Office on 0396399111. For more information about our work in Yarra visit. http://www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/council

Also check out our new Youtube video about the campaign. Many thanks to comedian Corinne Grant for producing the clip.
http://www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/archives/1519

SP financial appeal

SP needs $20,000 to pay for our election campaign and National Conference. Please read this important appeal letter and donate now! Thanks to all those who have already donated. http://www.socialistpartyaustralia.org/archives/1446

News links

Italy: Mass movement to stop education cuts
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/10/21italya.html

Britain: Workers’ anger towards financiers
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/10/20britaa.html

Belgium: October 6 national day of action
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/10/17belgia.html

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states.

We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to get rid of the capitalist system, the system that is at the root of all of these problems. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. To join SP contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a membership application form.

Subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ newspaper!

Support the Socialist Party by subscribing to our monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’. Subscription rates are only $10 per year or $20 solidarity price. You will receive 11 copies per year delivered to your door every month. You will also receive our email newsletter every week and you will know that you are supporting an organisation that is at the fore of fighting against the capitalist system. To subscribe to ‘The Socialist’ contact our National Office on 03 9639 9111 and we will send you a subscription form.

Socialist Party contact details

Melbourne: Phone Anthony on 0396399111.
Sydney: Phone Gary on 0297287727.
Newcastle: Phone Samantha on 0249681545.
Perth: Phone John on 0894020728.
Rest of Australia: Phone our National Office on 0396399111.
Rest of the world: Phone our International Office on ++ 44 20 8988 8760.

The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). The CWI is organised in over 40 countries across the world.

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