RESIDENTS will be holding a protest at the planned WestCONnex St Peters Interchange on Saturday morning to call for a halt to the project, and a full and independent inquiry.

“In the two weeks alone, we’ve seen damning revelations made about WestCONnex’s compulsory acquisitions, its imminent destruction of critically endangered bushland, and that its road base is potentially contaminated with deadly asbestos,” said WestCONnex Action Group (WAG) spokesperson Janet Dandy-Ward. 

“The asbestos claims are particularly alarming, given that work on WestCONnex is taking place next to thousands of people’s homes and involves hundreds of workers. If its road base is contaminated with asbestos, thousands of men, women and children are now at risk. 

“It’s not acceptable for Premier Mike Baird to risk the lives of thousands of people just to build a tollway, and he must stop work on WestCONnex while a full and independent inquiry into the project takes place. 

“These are just the latest in a string of scandals that have plagued WestCONnex, and shown the depths to which Premier Mike Baird is prepared to sink to build his $17 billion tollway. 

“Yet even the Baird government’s own figures show WestCONnex will choke our streets with traffic and pollution, and see families in western Sydney pay huge tolls to drive straight into traffic jams. 

“Enough is enough. The people of NSW deserve better. 

“This protest will see residents unite again to fight this sham project, and call for a halt to WestCONnex before it causes even more damage to our great city,” said Ms Dandy-Ward.

When: Saturday 3 September from 6:45am

Where: Alexandria Landfill, 12-14 Albert St, St Peters 2044 (just off Campbell Rd)

Media contacts: Janet Dandy-Ward 0411 633 676, Anne Picot 0404 090 710

Background material: bit.ly/abcasbestos, bit.ly/smhforest, bit.ly/smhacquisitions