WESTCONNEX Action Group (WAG) has slammed the Baird government after it announced today that another 27 properties will be forcibly acquired for WestCONnex.

The acquisitions are to take place in Rozelle to make way for yet another tunnel in the $16.8 billion tollway, and comes days after residents received letters saying the project “may impact” their properties.

“Once again Premier Baird is seizing hardworking families’ properties for WestCONnex, which will charge people from western Sydney huge tolls to drive into inner-city traffic jams,” said WestCONnex Action Group (WAG) spokesperson Janet Dandy-Ward.

“This is on top of the hundreds of homes, businesses and parklands the Baird government has already grabbed across western, inner west and south-west Sydney for WestCONnex.

“It is utterly disgraceful that Premier Baird has confirmed these acquisitions without conducting any meaningful community consultation – and well before any funding has been secured or planning approvals granted for this stage of WestCONnex.

“And given the underground sections of WestCONnex will be the most expensive part to build, there’s no way these latest plans won’t blow out the cost of this taxpayer-funded sham,” said Ms Dandy-Ward.

“Even if they manage to build it, expert analyses show WestCONnex will save most drivers less than 5 minutes for tolls of up to $100 a week.

“Serious questions have also been raised about the companies involved in WestCONnex, with firms like Leighton and Samsung now mired in global corruption scandals, and others like AECOM exposed as having huge conflicts of interest.

“It’s not too late for Premier Baird to do the right thing, halt these acquisitions, and stop the disastrous WestCONnex. The people of Sydney will not forgive him for selling us out to toll road companies if he doesn’t,” said Ms Dandy-Ward.

Media contacts: Janet Dandy-Ward 0411 633 676, Pauline Lockie 0414 470 106