Report of yesterday's YCAT rally

Residents

Despite the cold and rain about 200 residents attended the Yarra Campaign Against the Tunnel's (YCAT) first-ever rally yesterday afternoon at Smiths Reserve in Fitzroy.

We had a great day with a sausage stall, a YCAT stall, a SP stall, we had Greens with their banners, and even the local ALP turned up with their freshly made 'no tunnel' banners - its amazing what an imminent Council election will do!

Rod Quantock and Corinne Grant were great MCs and the first speaker was Freda Watkin from YCAT who explained what the campaign was doing and why people should get involved.

Dr Paul Mees was next and he lambasted the State government's pro-road approach and he opposed the rail tunnel as suggested by Eddington. There are more important public transport intitiatives than this rail tunnel and Dr Mees said it was a cover for the real agenda of a road tunnel.

Local ALP MP Richard Wynne (he also has three ministries: Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs, and Housing) spoke next. The Age today described his speech as "carefully worded". He said if certain public transport initiatives were implemented then the road tunnel was OK. His neighbouring inner city ALP MP, Education Minister Bromwyn Pike, has been equally crafty - saying that as long as this or that park is not impacted on, then a tunnel is OK. It's like the man saying to God "I'll take the cancer, just so long as you guarantee it won't kill me".

Yarra Mayor, Judy Morton, spoke next and offered the full support of Yarra Council to YCAT and its work to stop the tunnel.

Green Upper House MP Greg Barber was next and he also clearly opposed the tunnel.

Dave Kerin, head of Union Solidarity, was the second last speaker and he explained the militant tactics undertaken by local and activists two decades ago to try to stop the last freeway battle in this area. He said we might have to do it again.

Last speaker was myself. I took up some of the arguments in favour of the tunnel "why spend $10 billion to build a tunnel for the 15% of traffic that goes west from the Eastern Freeway - that money should be spent on expanding public transport as it is cheaper, quicker, better for the environment and creates more jobs". I also tried to put the tunnel debate in the context of the fight for real action on climate change.

The mood of the rally was very good and we raised over $900 gross in cash on the day.

The next YCAT meeting is Thursday week, 7th August, 7pm at Fitzroy Town Hall. You are all invited.

Don't forget the YCAT fundraising gig at the Laundry nightclub, Friday 8th August. $10 entry.

Check out YCAT web site at www.ycat.org.au