Footscray locals get involved

Whilst long overdue, some residents of Footscray have entered the truck debate. After speaking to members of MTAG who live in Footscray and Seddon, this is their response to the situation:

“(The people in Footscray) closely associate MTAG with Yarraville and are perhaps unsure about its motives when to them, it looks like through their successful lobbying, what was once Yarraville’s problem has now become ours.People have told me that they want to do something at a local level. Being someone who is going to be greatly affected by the Ashley St/Ballarat Rd proposal, I know that more local people would be keen to sign my petition, than register with MTAG. At the end of the day, there is no harm done as we are all working toward the one goal and hopefully we will all enjoy success. The more signatures we have and the more submissions forwarded, the greater the likelihood that that will occur.”

If you wish to contact Claudine Spinner please forward all responses to [email protected]

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13 responses to "Footscray locals get involved"

  • Max says: (Edit)

    MTAG should be YTAG - It's all about Yarraville/Seddon If you think the people of Footscray are going to stay silent while you screw them over, you are mistaken.

  • Peter says: (Edit)

    huh? Have you actually bothered to read our submission or would that just be too time consuming?

  • bill says: (Edit)

    i think maybe claudine spinner is more interested in a career in politics than in the issues themselves. she spins them (pardon the pun) as it suits her agenda which is to try to get a bit of a profile i think last time she ran as a labor candidate she polled less than 100 votes so maybe there's a little whiff of desperation here??

  • Max says: (Edit)

    Yes, Peter I have read your submission. Its the Yarraville centric campaign you ran *before* the Eddington report that let the genie out of the bottle. Your feeble attempts to try and save face in your response, which incidentally is amateurish, are well-noticed by Footscray residents.

  • Peter says: (Edit)

    OK Max/Erica you’re entitled to your point of view, thanks for posting it here and keeping the forum lively (btw Max and Erica are the same person posting from one same IP address… speaking of amateurish).

  • Max says: (Edit)

    How does the same I.P address mean the same person? Erica is my wife. Trying to discredit posts in this way is typical of your style.

  • Peter says: (Edit)

    Reiterating my post from another thread... OK so it's you AND your partner who seem much more interested in insulting me than in actually engaging with the issues. You both seem quite angry so I'll conclude saying that MTAG has never recommended ANYTHING that would push truck traffic into West Footscray and Sunshine and never would, but it seems like nothing I say will convince you. In contrast, most of the people who have raised concerns on this site and who have brought up valid issues have not found any such need for insults. We've taken these concerns directly into our discussions and also have incorporated them into our Eddington response. So you're taking your anger out on the wrong people, we're the people who could help you and lobby for you if the government actually did decide to widen Ashley St and Ballarat Rd.

  • Nick says: (Edit)

    I'm coming in a bit late on this thread, but I assume it's still alive. Max is a bit of a sorry-sack. Sounds like the sort that would pick an argument anywhere he goes - never mind the facts. I live in Footscray (Buckley St) and I don't see MTAG in a Yarraville vs Footscray light at all. There's a tragic tendency (pushed hard by the ALP) to attempt to play off working class Footscray against the 'blow ins' on issues like heavy transport and industrial pollution. As if working class people should be somehow proud to live in a sea of trucks and chemical plants. For the real story, look beyond the two-bit pseudo-Labor people of today to the real Labor party and union representatives of old. Wonderful people like George Seelaf and Stan Willis who fought hard to improve the living conditions of working people in the West. I think these true Labor men would have laughed at the idea that Footscray can only maintain its working class identity by drowning in trucks and industrial filth. You wouldn't have ALP affiliations would you, Max?

  • Catherine says: (Edit)

    We need to remove the venom from this discussion. Both groups have a mutual rather than exclusive interests here and should be working closely together. Neither side should be threatened by the other as they are both looking to achieve a common goal. Focusing on 'the politics' will starve this issue of oxygen.

  • Peter says: (Edit)

    Couldn't agree more The venom is certainly not coming from us Our interests are mutual and we can achieve good outcomes if we work together. I also agree with Nick, some people just find it hard to contribute anything positive and there is little doubt in my mind that there's politics behind it. What tends to happen with these kinds of issues is that political wannabes who want to make a name for themselves try to stir up a bit of controversy to get themselves in the news. They don't actually engage with the issues, they just see an opportunity. It's a little depressing.

  • adam says: (Edit)

    Of course there is venom. The recommendations supported by MTAG will significantly worsen the quality of life of many local residents (and according to MTAG literature make them twelve times as likely to die from cancer). What do you expect those affected to roll over and take one for the community? I have absolutely NO DOUBT that the venom displayed here, is nothing compared to what will follow in the coming months when homes are taken and roads carting thousands of trucks are imposed on new communities. And no, Peter, most are not political wannabes, they like me are simple folk trying to protect their children's health and housing investment. FWIW, did you know that an area affected by the Westgate connection, is in terms of distance, one of the furthermost locations from excessive truck traffic, however Eddington's plans will make it the closest location to the worst road (in terms of deadly emissions, noise etc etc) in this State.

  • Peter says: (Edit)

    Not quite sure what you mean Adam in your first paragraph... But I do know that MTAG has worked extremely hard to recommend a solution that will have the best outcome possible for the greatest number of people while acknowledging that not everyone will be happy. If the Westgate ramps don't get built then you can be absolutely sure that Ballarat Rd and Ashley St will get widened. In fact the ramps are the measure that will ensure that Max's fears don't eventuate. What do you think would be the best outcome for the inner West Adam? Obviously you have an interest here and I can understand your anger, but whatever happens, in the next 10 years the truck numbers are going to double and they have to go somewhere. It will either be on the Westgate Freeway and to the port via a new link OR through Sunshine/Maidstone/West Footscray/Footscray via a new elevated rd and a bigger wider Ballarat Rd. They won't build both. It might be worth your while contacting Colleen Hartland, she is having some community meetings to discuss the implications for residents of the Eddington plan. I'm through with being the whipping boy here...

  • adam says: (Edit)

    The whole point of the post was that there exists no IDEAL solution, and therefore many local residents will be angry, others happy. What facts/maps/proposed alignments did MTAG present to support your argument that your proposal was the best outcome? >I’m through with being the whipping boy here… ...don't take it personally. What other outlet do locals have that emit any form of a response regarding the Eddington garbage?