It’s certainly been a challenging 2018 for those of us committed to fighting the toxic toll road known as WestConnex. We have made our voices heard reporting as many of the WestConnex breaches of the law as possible and, in October 2018, WestCONnex Action Group (WAG) gave evidence to the NSW Upper House Parliamentary Inquiry into the Impacts of the WestCONnex Project.

But 2019 will be even busier. 

As well as pressuring politicians for a Royal Commission into WestCONnex (and don't forget the NSW state election is on 23 March), WAG will be setting up a register of WestCONnex property damage, continuing to support the citizen scientists' air quality monitoring project, and be holding WestCONnex and its contractors to account over breaches. 

“This is your chance to have your voice heard.”

The NSW Liberals have done everything possible to hide the truth about WestCONnex. But now there’s an opportunity to shine a light on this devastating project. A NSW Upper House parliamentary inquiry into the impacts of WestCONnex is taking submissions until 31 August 2018 and will start three days of hearings on 9 October.

The inquiry will investigate the WestCONnex business case, the project’s costs, its governance, and whether it’s actually a good investment for NSW taxpayers. (The full terms of reference are at the end of this post.)

This is your chance to have your voice heard. You can make an individual submission or contact WestCONnex Action Group to have your experience included as part of a submission from us or another community group, depending on the issue.

What sorts of matters can be raised? Everything from the St Peters stench to construction noise and cracked houses, health impacts, dodgy amelioration decisions and the destruction of trees and green spaces. And that’s only the start.