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THE BEGINNINGS:
In 1988 the F3 (Seahampton) to Branxton highway link was first considered. Six years later the format was put on display at Kurri Kurri.
Meanwhile, for more than 40 years, Cessnock has wanted a by-pass. A number of routes were considered including the Sydney Waste issue.
The NSW government offered $12M for a Cessnock by-pass but the through traffic would still affect the eastern fringes of Cessnock and those residents on MR220, Freemans Waterhole to Branxton, not to mention those on the New England Highway, Branxton to East Maitland.
The State Member for Cessnock, Kerry Hickey, kept his constituents up to date on the progress of the proposed highway link but the date for the release of the Planning and Route Determination was being deferred in about 6 monthly segments.
A group suggested the latest promise of November 2000 was the deadline. When it was again deferred to June 2001, some action was called for.
ACTION COMMENCED:
The group suggested a committee be formed to commence an a-political push, first to put pressure on the State government to get the Planning and Route Determination to and through the Department of Urban Planning and Development (DUAP) and, with a federal election imminent, bring pressure on the major parties to support and fund the Link.
The Link being a federal highways link, F3 to the New England Highway, is the responsibility of the Federal government for funding.
Members of the original group were Joel Fitzgibbon Mp, Katie Brassil, Councillor, Nadine Hickey, Steve Hughes MEU organizer and Fred Brown. (Kerry Hickey was in Parliament).
It was decided to call a public meeting at the Cessnock Rugby League Supporters Club on March 19, 2001, to launch the project. Fifty five citizens attended and, while the majority agreed that the highway link was the way to go, two persons spoke against it preferring to support the Cessnock by-pass.
Two prepared resolutions were passed:
Resolution 1: The only acceptable alternative to the Branxton to Freemans Waterhole route is the Branxton to Seahampton link (Kurri Kurri Corridor).
Resolution 2: That an active group should be formed to lobby all parliamentarians to support the construction of the Branxton to Seahampton highways link.
The slogan "Support the Link or Sink" was adopted and a committee elected including:
Fred Brown Chairperson
Toby Thomas Vice Chairperson
Nadine Hickey Secretary/Treasure
also included A. Gray, J Jackson, G Harrison, G Hughes, B Wilson G Adams and J Grant.
PUBLIC MEETINGS:
The second public meeting was called at Kurri Workers Club and turned out to be a fiery affair. Two land owners who said they would be affected by the Link objected strongly and took up considerable time, but the two prepared resolutions were passed:
Resolution 1: The citizens of Kurri Kurri and region resolve that for economic and safety reasons, and to relieve serious traffic problems, the Link road, or Kurri Kurri Corridor, must be constructed without unnecessary delay.
Resolution 2: At a public meeting of citizens of Kurri Kurri it was resolved to demand of NSW Roads Minister Scully that the Planning and Route Determination of the Kurri Kurri Corridor be completed by June 2001 as promised on 6/3/01.
Immediately after the public meeting a committee meeting was held and it was announced that Shadow Roads Minister, Martin Ferguson, would meet a delegation in Canberra on Wed 16/5/01.
Actions discussed at this meeting included street rallies, street obstruction (pedestrian crossings) and slow moving convoys.
The next public meeting was held at Maitland City Bowling Club, Rutherford, mainly because of interest shown by a local citizen, Mrs Ann Brown. The wider interest was giving the committee added encouragement. The meeting was addressed by Dr Allan Pattison, Chairperson of the Hunter Economic Development Corporation. Dr Pattison had just submitted an article supporting the F3 connection to the Newcastle Herald. Again, this evidence of support from such an esteemed source boosted group confidence and broadened our base.
After the public meeting, Peter Spinks of Lochinvar joined the committee and he alone changed the direction of our focus to the New England Highway. It was decided that the public meetings to follow would be held at Branxton, Greta, Lochinvar, East Maitland and Singleton.
At the Branxton meeting held at the Miller Park Bowling Club a third resolution was added calling on all available, interested persons to meet at a combined meeting at Rutherford on 2 July 2001. That night Don Gray from Singleton Council was a visiting speaker and Allan Daley and Brett Jackson joined the committee. Forty five (45) citizens attended on a wet, bitterly cold winters night.
Next followed the Greta meeting where John Moy joined the committee. It was always envisaged that the committee be open to self-nomination and by this time some of the original members had dropped off.
Probably the greatest surprise of all was the Lochinvar meeting where 75 local citizens attended - and it must be remembered that this was in the middle of winter. Still, the greatest disappointment was to follow. At East Maitland Bowling Club, a most auspicious venue, only nine people attended, five of whom were committee members and a TWU Organiser, Wayne Davidson.
Meanwhile the Singleton Group asked us to defer our public meeting at Singleton because Singleton Council was organising one. Mulbring was our final meeting of the round before the mass meeting at Rutherford.
More than 100 citizens gathered at the Maitland City Bowling Club. Four politicians attended and spoke - Joel Fitzgibbons, Kerry Hickey, Bob Horn and John Price.
One citizen spoke of his frustration in not being able to sell his property or settle with the RTA. The resolution to proceed to lobby the Federal Parliamentarians was passed unanimously. Rutherford residents living adjacent to the N.E. Highway spoke of their frustration caused by the continuous traffic noise which is increasing all the time.
Some resistance was coming from another direction. The Weakley's Drive upgrade group was also lobbying for funds and while there was no face to face argument the split was definitely there.
OFF TO CANBERRA:
The May 16 2001 trip to Canberra was cancelled but Joel Fitzgibbon arranged for a delegation to meet the Federal and opposition representatives on 21st July 2001. Meanwhile it was learned that the Australian Automobile Association was attempting to get some co-ordination in highway planning so they were put on the Canberra list. The delegation that went included toby Thomas (driver in his wife's car), Janette Jackson, Allan Gray and Fred Brown.
They were met and escorted through the halls of Parliament House (you definitely need a guide) to the office of the Minister for Transport. The interviewers were Peter Langhorn and Peter Machi.
The rough minutes of that interview are as follows:
Peter Langhorn:
- staging cost $300M
- the route must be finalised
- get progress reports in with costings
- cost up by $100M in 12 months
- prioritisation and staging put back onto State Government
- Martin (Ferguson) will build it - but it will be looked at realistically when realistic costings are received
The delegation queried whether the Federal government put the money where they wanted to.
Peter Langhorn:
- not correct, decisions are made State by State
- The RTA is slow, must come to us first, we will look at it then
- You must tell your group that we are waiting on the State
Undertaking:
When we get the information we will then talk to our State Department, negotiate with the State and talk to Anderson. The last
Federal Labor government cut funding, we have had to restore it. I
will take Labor promises with a grain of salt. We do need to go
through detail, get the costing and route determination done and seek priority.
That interview finished, we went directly to the office of the Shadow Transport Minister, Martin Ferguson, who was present with Joel Fitzgibbon MP.
Martin Ferguson opened the conversation by stating it was not possible for him to meet us on 16th May 2001 and he was certainly put out by any thought of non-cooperation. We agreed to inform our following accordingly.
The remainder of the interview went as follows:
Martin Ferguson:
- Every cent of road funding has been spent by the government
- our budget processes, what we can spend is unknown
- the F3 connection is taking pressure off Carr (NSW Premier)
Delegation:
- the Federals put money where they want to.
Martin Ferguson:
- not true
- Albury/Wodonga is committed as is $350M of $1.25B cost of western orbital (Sydney), the rest by toll
- F3 Central Coast widening $80M
- Albury $400M funding approved
- Commonwealth govt. pays for National Highways
- RONI's (roads of national importance) are funded jointly by State and Federal governments
- Money has been taken out of the National highways fund to pay for RONI's.
- the Princess Hwy (RONI) is a State Govt responsibility
- Karuah bypass is in the bag
- knows of the importance of the F3 Linkway, but there is no money in the pot
- if we win we will seek priorities, I will not pull Albury
Joel Fitzgibbon produced the State proposal -
2001-02 $ 1.0M
2002-03 $11.5M
2003-04 $30.0M
2004-05 $60.0M
2005-06 $60.0m
Martin Ferguson:
- I will live with the State proposal, get priority from the State Government
- Weakleys Drive goes back to the State Government
- If priorities are right, you are half way home
- Pressure on Princes Hwy by State
- lets see where the list is, we have not been lobbied by the NSW government on this road. Not saying yes. Not sure if money is available. I will not break a promise.
Having completed the interviews at Parliament House, we set out for the Australian Automobile Association for a short interview with Greg Hunting, Director of Communications. He said the Commonwealth is spending less on roads, $400M. Suggested we go to the NRMA as they are doing a review on roads. The government is to announce a review of road tax funding.
NRMA
The next day we made a phone call to Marsi de Santi, NRMA Member Services. The conversation ran as follows:
the government takes 36cents per litre yet spends only 5-6 cents on
roads
the Commonwealth is raiding funds for local roads
the NRMA is developing a strategic direction
the State Govt. has projected funds to 2010, Commonwealth nil.
A copy of our resume was posted to the NRMA.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Naturally our next call was on Carl Scully, the meeting arranged by Kerry Hickey. Mr Scully was unavailable but we were interviewed by Sean Kennedy. Short notes follow:
The Delegation:
The Federals must have all the figures.
S Kennedy:
- not true - Albury is not finalised, no Environmental Impact Study
done. The Branxton Link has been in the Federal proposals for the last three years. For new, uncommitted projects the Branxton link is now No 1.
- The Albury bypass is not ranked in order, your road will get "sign off" 18 months before Albury.
- National Parks indicate problem with Kurri Sands Swamp Woodlands
- no money yet for Weakleys Drive intersection
- State proposal funds - they haven't got it
- we are pressing RONI funding separately
- we are pushing the F3 link - they are giving you excuses - big cash flows do not commence for a year or so
- the western orbital has not been approved, it is at about the same stage as the F3 link.
- for the Scoresby Freeway (Vic) the Commonwealth plucked $200M out of highways funding.
PART 2:
We came to surmise that the Federals do put the money where they want to, aided and abetted by the opposition when it suits.
PASSIVE ACTION:
On 16th May 2001 the Prime Minister, John Howard, officially announced the opening of the Maitland Basketball Stadium and the committee were there to greet him displaying our "Support the Link or Sink" banner.
Peter Spinks had been invited to the function, and when the PM did the hand shaking he bent his ear and handed him our portfolio, which he accepted, promising to give it to John Anderson.
One month later State Cabinet met at the Maitland Town Hall and again we were there with our banner.
Next was the turn of John Anderson on the hustings at Motto Farm on 13 July 2001. He acknowledged us, listened to our spiel, and invited us to lunch. However they ran out of space, so having been seated at the table we excused ourselves and left.
Our demand to him was the resolution taken by the committee - a single carriageway from Branxton to Seahampton by 2006.
June had come and gone, and although the Planning and Route Determination was with DUAP, the latest estimate for its release was November. The stated hold-up was the NSW Scientific Committee's effort to protect the Kurri Sands Swamp Woodland.
More action was necessary. Part of the New England Highway through Lochinvar is single carriageway and the perfect spot for a STREET RALLEY.
On July 7, a very cold morning with a strong northwesterly blowing, a rally was held and 85 citizens turned up. The pedestrian crossing in front of the Convent was the selected spot. A two-hour rally was proposed but it was shortened to one hour to co-operate with the church and the police. Weatherwise, one hour was enough.
Citizens with placards worked the crossing while our drivers, Rod Costa de Silva with his semi and John Grant's 4 wheel drive and its large sign "Truck Off" and others led slow moving convoys from Lochinvar to the roundabout at Rutherford and back - causing traffic delays but not hold-ups. The rally had been well advertised and there was no agro.
Three elderly nuns from the convent took part in the rally. Despite the weather the rally was considered a success, the TV and print media coverage was good.
The next rally was held at Harold Sternbeck Park, Vincent St, Cessnock. A rally and street walk was proposed and had police approval.
A fatal accident on John Renshaw Drive required our police escort to leave us, so before they left we were directed to keep the walk to the footpath. Those 45 citizens who attended were an enthusiastic lot except one from Kurri (who was mentioned earlier), but the numbers were disappointing considering the effort to publicise it. 600 fliers were handed out in the shopping centre on the Thursday and Friday and brought little response.
Some good sometimes comes out of adversity. Frances Wilson left a note to say she was prepared to assist with typing. Nadine Hickey had always felt that she was too close to the political scene so as a matter of course she resigned the Secretary/Treasurer's position when Frances indicated she would accept.
BREAKTHROUGH.
The Group thought they had a major breakthrough when on 16 October 2001 Joel Fitzgibbon MP announced in a press release that a Beasley government would fund the link road in its first term.
A letter was sent to John Anderson asking whether he would match the opposition's offer. There was no response.
The rest is history - September 11, boat people, etc caused too much diversion. The committee continued to meet but the media lost interest. The Coalition won the election and our next aim was the 2002 federal budget.
In April 2002 the RTA received $1.5M which kept the ball rolling and gave us some hope that more would come in the budget.
The committee decided to set up a Web Site to get the information to the community, especially the young. The response was excellent with Kurri Kurri Chamber of Commerce, The Hunter Regional Development Corporation, the Newcastle Business Chamber and Cessnock and Singleton Councils becoming sponsors.
The RTA received $4M for the Link project in the budget which will allow a continuation of the engineering, planning and discussions on property purchases. This has satisfied the RTA and given a boost to the Link or Sink Group.
The Link or Sink committee will remain active and will appreciate any extraneous involvement.
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