RESIDENTS are now occupying a forcibly acquired home at 4 Northcote St Haberfield after it was fenced off by WestCONnex contractors in preparation for demolition.

Residents were told earlier this week that the occupied home in the Haberfield conservation area would soon be one of a number destroyed so a construction compound could be built.

“The $16.8 billion WestCONnex toll road will devastate Haberfield and the surrounding areas,” said local resident and WestCONnex Action Group (WAG) spokesperson Sharon Laura. 

“Hundreds of family homes and businesses are set to be destroyed, and our suburbs will be choked with traffic and pollution – all for a toll road experts say will fail to ease congestion, and charge western Sydney drivers up to $11 each way to drive straight into traffic jams. 

“Two of the WestCONnex M4 East’s major contractors, Leighton and Samsung, now stand accused of using corruption to win government construction contracts overseas. 

“But despite all this, the Baird Government has rubber-stamped the project, and the so-called ‘conditions’ it placed on its approval are already being breached.

“At every step, the government has ignored residents who tried to engage in WestCONnex’s so-called ‘consultation’ process and treated us with contempt. And it has subverted democratic planning processes to bulldoze this taxpayer-funded toll road through.

“That’s why we’ve been left with no choice but to take this stand to stop WestCONnex before the tollway destroys so much of our great city and its irreplaceable heritage.

“The people of Sydney deserve better. And we will continue to protect our community and our city until the Baird Government calls a halt to WestCONnex and this senseless destruction.”

Media contacts: Sharon Laura 0490 413 594, Pauline Lockie 0414 470 106