By Oliver Lees
The West Gate Tunnel Project team has recognised the need to support Sunbury and Bulla, after members of the community were left frustrated by their exclusion from a community funding program.
On February 2, the West Gate Tunnel Project team announced the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund Grants, with close to $500,000 in funding for community organisations in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay.
The grants ranged less than $10,000 to organisations with one-off ideas -–such as the Brooklyn Tennis Club’s allocation for a new court, posts and nets –and more substantial grants between $20,000 to $100,000 for major facilities.
The East African Women’s Foundation received the largest possible grant allocation of $100,000 to upgrade its premises.
According to the state government’s Big Build website, the program has been designed with the aim of “prioritising those who are most affected by the construction of the West Gate Tunnel Project”.
Sunbury Against Toxic Soil Facebook group administrator Chris O’Neill said he was outraged that Sunbury and Bulla had not been included in the scheme, given the current works to construct a processing facility that will receive hundreds of trucks worth of contaminated soil.
Mr O’Neil said he had met with state government representatives and local politicians to advocate on the communities behalf for things such as improved safety measures along Sunbury Road.
“Last I looked we were really affected by the tunnel being its huge toxic wasteland,” Mr O’Neil said.
“We’ve submitted many ideas and many more to come but are continually ignored, we just get told they’ve listened, they sent a memo… but until they act they’ve all done nothing.”
According to a West Gate Tunnel spokesperson, the West gate Neighbourhood Fund was set up in 2017 as the project team established its environmental performance requirements, prior to a decision being made regarding the soil relocation.
The spokesperson said they acknowledge Sunbury and Bulla’s interest in a similar funding scheme.
“The project parties are looking forward to working with the local community and Hume City Council to explore suitable opportunities,” the spokesperson said.
