Let’s end the corruption.
A SMH article on April 10, 2017, ‘F6 planners told to ignore public transport, build roads,’ tells the story of a planning choice by the NSW government to ignore a railway proposal between Wollongong and Sydney that would have meant consumers travel time would’ve been cut from 90 minutes to 60 minutes.
Instead the government chose to fund a road that cost $10 billion more. The article states, ‘An option(the railway) along the lines highlighted would reduce road congestion’.
The cost estimates for each option are excised from the document released, but it says the difference between the two is of ‘a magnitude that cannot be ignored’.
The difference is ‘sufficient to construct the equivalent of almost three Snowy Mountains hydro schemes’.
This is clear evidence of a situation that has been happening for a long time where companies donations to Liberal and Labor election campaigns have meant roads win over rail every time. Australia is now the most car dependent country in the whole world.
The same thing has happened in northern NSW where billions are being spent on roads while the railway has been closed down and both major parties have colluded in ignoring community needs while giving their political donors what they want. It’s time to end the corruption.
Beth Shelley, Booerie Creek
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
