Comments for Maribyrnong Truck Action Group

Comment on Francis Street Protest 20/2 PHOTOS UP by Simon Gardle

Simon Gardle — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:37:28 +0000

I agree with Chris about that last comment.

Comment on Locals make noise over buck-passing on trucks by Rico

Rico — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 23:25:00 +0000

We are going about this arse-about.

The focus of this continued effort should not be about “getting trucks off our streets”

20 years has shown that no one in Government will ever care about nuiscance value inner-west communities who complain, campaign and occasionally rally on issues like this.

No, the strategy should be to “stop trucks avoinding tolls”. This spins the money situation on its head for any Government. Instead of wanting them to spend money, we are asking them to take action and save money.

Its the only way to get a Government to act. Cars pat tolls, why can’t trucks pay tolls too?

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Mike

Mike — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:11:04 +0000

The bottom line is that to become a politician, you have to be power hungry and self-serving.
They are not there to ensure good governance, they are there because I are driven by a need for power.
Its dog eat dog.

Unfortunately, none of the dogs see any merit in barking for us.
Our cause wont give them more power and it wont lose them there power.
There is nothing in it for them.

We have two choices:

1) Turn this into a marginal seat.
This wont happen because too many people still believe in the myth that the labor party is the party of the working class.
And, the liberal party is not going to pour resources into a strong labor seat.
Independents cant change anything unless they hold the balance of power in a hung parliament.
And after the federal debacle, it is highly unlikely that it will happen in Victoria.

2) The other option is people power.
Undertaking civil disobedience on an ongoing basis.
Taking action by disrupting the traffic on an ongoing basis.
Boycotting businesses who use trucking companies that foul up our streets.
Picketing trucking company premises.
Doing newsworthy things on a weekly basis.
Take a leaf out of the Marfia’s book, put a severed horses head in Lindsay Fox’s bed.
I don’t know, I’m just trying to stir people up to think outside of the square.
We have to do something to make people sit up and take notice.
We live in a democracy so the government is there to serve the people.
As we have seen in the former USSR, East Germany and the middle east, it is up to the people to take control if the government no longer serves the best interests of the people.

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:16:28 +0000

One of the biggest problems I see with all this, is that everybody keeps voting Labor in yarraville!!

Labor are clearly not helping, nor Liberal for that matter either. Labor don’t need to do anything because it is a safe seat, and Liberal won’t do anything because nobody votes for them in Yarraville.

The only way out of this is to get rid of the safe Labor seat, and create a marginal seat, or at least an upset.

Maybe have a good Independent to stand to voice our views. Start the campaign trail now and build a higher profile. If everyone knows who the Local Independents are and what they are standing for, we all might be more inclined to vote for them, Currently I couldn’t tell you who any of them are or what they stand for. I only find out at election time when the flyers come out.

If the Social Alliance, Greens etc Mercanaries are bought on board, then I like a lot of other people will lose respect for MTAG as I don’t think we need riots and baseball bats in our streets, just good governance by our local MP’s.

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by colleen hartland

colleen hartland — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 01:10:55 +0000

Hello Mike, the Greens are were we have always been on the issue of trucks on our residental roads, standing with MTAG and the local community, asking questions in parliament, turning up at rallies and photocoping flyers etc. Now that we have a Greens Senator for Victoria, I will ask MTAG to brief Richard Di Natali on the issue.

Mike I am happy for you to ring me on 96896373 to discuss these issues.

Colleen Hartland Greens MLC Western Metropolition Region

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Mike

Mike — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 01:30:09 +0000

Over the years it has become clear that you can’t trust anyone.
Even if the off-ramp is built, there is no guarantee that the trucks won’t continue to use Francis Street.
And if the off-ramp is built, Vic Roads will consider the matter closed and not police Francis Street for offending trucks.
They don’t do it now so they certainly wont do it in the future.
So it is important that Francis Street be reduced to single lanes with 20 km/h speed humps and a residential speed limit of 50 km/h.
Traffic circles at each intersection would also serve as a further deterrent for truck drivers.

Again I ask where are the Greens?
Bob Brown put your money where your mouth is!

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Anthony

Anthony — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:07:42 +0000

This problem is out of control and bigger than Francis Street and Yarraville.
If you are worried about Francis Street look as far as Moore Street in Footscray. Trucks day and night and no curfews there, not as many trucks as in Francis Street, but this shows that there are simply too many trucks that have nowhere else to go and without any regulation they will continue to expand to other roads (I’m not sure where!).
Footscray did not have the truck problem for years and it is too far from Yarraville anyway. The people that moved to the area (they are all not dodgy or drug dealers) have never had this issue, it is only until the last 3-4 years as trucks cannot travel at night on Francis Street, Moore and Buckley Streets are the new highways at night. The problem has moved as it is too big.
In 10 years time Moore and Buckley Streets in Footscray will be the new Francis Street.
Meanwhile the government continues to approve new apartment buildings to house thousands of people in Footscray with thousands of trucks on their door step.
Even a Centrelink has been approved on the corner of Moore and Hopkins Streets. A fatality that will soon happen
What a way of living! What a feeling!

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Roger

Roger — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:35:22 +0000

Peter:

You seem to forget that the issue here is that there are thousands of trucks breaking curfews as well, they have NO right to use these streets. I don’t think anyone has an issue with trucks coming from local depots.

There is an obvious health risk to everyone in the area, trucks should not have to drive in residential streets and something needs to be done about it. Lets take away the trucks for a second and just look at the traffic alone, it’s a nightmare and it’s getting a lot worse.

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Mike

Mike — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 03:05:09 +0000

Out of order guys.
Focus on the common enemy don’t fall into the trap of turning on ourselves.
The point is that nobody outside this group cares about the issues.
The main problem is the ongoing skilled labour shortage in Australia.
Consequently, Australia is running out of visionary statesmen.
We only have self-serving career politicians to represent our interests.
They are not going to upset big business, because big business provides them with future career paths.
I said it before, we have to shame big business, politicians and senior bureaucrats into submission.
You guys have been working hard at this for a very long time and I commend you for your efforts.
But the nice-guy strategy just doesn’t work.
We need to create an alliance with the militant groups like the Socialist Alliance, Greens, opposition members etc.
We need people who are experienced in digging up the dirt on important people.
This is a power struggle in which the meek will never win.
We need to recruit you activists who have the passion and time to engage in civil disobedient actions.
Picket Lindsey Fox’s home and burn a pile of tires in his driveway.
Lindsey Fox loves polluting so he will see this action as a sign of solidarity.
We need to place TRUCK POSTERS all around the suburbs to raise and maintain our public profile.
Get the opposition to highjack parliamentary question time with these issues.
I am not saying we should do all of these things, I’m saying we need to do things differently.
We need a marketing campaign.
Federal and State governments are now pushing their environmentally sustainable management practice policies onto business.
We need to give the government the facts so that we force their hand in applying the legislation to the guilty parties.
This website is fine for preaching to the converted but we need other ways to reach out to the general public and engage the youth.
And Peter I would like to remind you that your comments about people buying property in Francis St echoes what John Fayne said to you at the time of the Francis St blockade.
Remember that the pollution generated in Francis St does not stay in Francis St.
I still believe that all of these road projects are a waste of time and money.
The real issue is that the port needs to be relocated.
The money generated from turning the docklands into a mini Sydney Harbour should more than adequately fund the relocation of the port facilities or maybe not.
But we need visionary ideas to remove the problem and not just fiddling with the effects of the problem.

Comment on Diesel poison leaves inner west fuming by Peter

Peter — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:22:08 +0000

Rico, The Article is in relation to Francis St Yarraville, NOT A street in Brooklyn.

Melbourne population in 1950 was approx 1.3 Million, 2010 was approx 3.3 million, So of course there will be more trucks.
I bet the sunshine in 1950 was brighter too…… Along with everything else.

So, you plan to sue the Government, for pollution coming from the street you choose to live on, the street that is being “poisoned”…. Along with the rest of Melbourne, so if you can sue, then everyone can sue = one bankrupt state, congratulations.
You have a much better chance if you move to U.S.A, I recommend it for someone so litigious.

Rico, Why don’t you help yourself, and your friends in Brooklyn by lobbying the Government for particulate filters to be made compulsory on all heavy diesel vehicles?

I believe our diesel is now clean enough, as many passenger vehicles are now coming in to Oz with these filters.

Why not look outside your street, and steer your political efforts into making the whole of Melbourne (and the world) a cleaner place?

You are being poisoned, because a truck has as much right to use your street as you do, and there is no regulation for ‘clean’ heavy diesel vehicles.