Alarm bells ringing
THE findings of the independent planning panel report into VicRoads’ proposed Horsham bypass should set alarm bells ringing for all the Horsham community and taxpayers of this state, not just the people of Riverside and Horsham North.
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The panel has identified that the planning for Horsham bypass Option D has a number of deficiencies.
The report identifies:
- Difficulty in understanding whether Option D can meet project objectives to minimise or avoid areas of floodplain function.
- State policy emphasising importance of identifying land affected by flooding and aiming to protect life, property and infrastructure from flood hazard.
- Unique floodplain characteristics that make this floodplain one of the most complex in Victoria.
- Extent of the floodplain crossing appears to have been understated.
- Failure to hear from Wimmera Catchment Management Authority at panel hearings.
- No documentation provided to show agreement on design between VicRoads and Wimmera Catchment Authority.
- Uncertainty in the design and project cost.
- Failure to consider impact on visual amenity of the substantial embankments, bridge structures and culverts required to allow open flow of flood water and flood debris.
- Option D does not have the support of Horsham Rural City Council or a large portion of the Horsham community.
- Whether Option D should have passed through the initial screening process.
VicRoads should reassess whether Option D can be constructed at an acceptable cost and is still the preferred option.
Oversights, mistakes, failures, slips, omissions, errors, lapses, incompetence, ineffectiveness, poor public administration? Choose your own words. Deficiencies come at a high cost.
A letter dated March 16, 2012, addressed to land owners on the floodplain from Horsham Rural City Council and Wimmera Catchmant Management Authority states:
‘Ultimately any changes to the floodplain seriously reduces our ability to predict where the flood water will flow and its impact during times of emergency.’
There is no room for deficiencies on the floodplain. Life, property and infrastructure are at stake.
What then is the acceptable cost of Horsham bypass Option D?
The cost of changing the dynamics of the Wimmera River floodplain will be huge.
Horsham bypass Option D is developing into a monumental stuff-up which will rival the Melbourne East West Link debacle.
GREG HUFF
Horsham
Prayer for peace
THROUGH the paper I would like to congratulate all those involved in making the Prayer for Peace service that took place on Australia Day in the Ararat Catholic Church such a success.
This service was led by Father Andrew of the Ararat Catholic Church, a leader from the Ararat Muslim community, women from the Catholic Church and the Anglican minister.
The congregation was from all faiths and included people who do not belong to any particular church or religious organisation at all.
The service included a reading from the Bible and the Koran which told the story of Moses.
And in both books it was the very same story.
It is these types of events that seek to make peace not war, strive to see the similarities not the differences, encourage acceptance rather than opposition and understanding instead of ignorance that will help heal our world.
Thank you to the wonderful people in Ararat who made this Australia Day a very special one.
BONNIE CARTER
Ararat
