The NSW government has been accused of a “culture of secrecy” after it was revealed that the justification for a multimillion-dollar highway development in the Blue Mountains remains confidential.
Key points:
- It has been revealed that the business case for the development of the $ 8 billion Great Western Highway remains confidential.
- Project plans include Australia’s longest road tunnel through the Blue Mountains.
- The opposition and community groups say a project of this size must be justified to the taxpayer.
The Great Western Highway improvement is a $ 8 billion program to create 34 miles of freeway from Katoomba to Lithgow and includes a proposal for Australia’s longest road tunnel under Mount Victoria.
The Great Western Highway is one of only two major roads that cross the Blue Mountains and connect the Sydney Basin with the Midwest, and is often subject to traffic delays during public and school holidays.
A recent Transport for NSW report revealed that the business case for the entire development was complete, but would remain confidential to “help drive value-creating competition from a wide range of participants during the purchase.”
The ABC asked for clarification on why the report had not been published and a Transport for New South Wales spokesman said the business case was confidential to the cabinet.
“And as such it is not publicly available.
“The business case has exceeded the warranty with Infrastructure NSW and Infrastructure Australia,” the spokesman said.
The preferred option for an 11km tunnel would travel from Blackheath to Little Hartley. (Provided by: Transport for NSW)
The locals are “horrified” by the “ridiculous” decision.
Local community groups facing the impacts of the major road improvement have expressed disappointment at the move to keep the report secret.
The Medlow Bath action group supports the project in principle, but has concerns with route elements and the approval process.
President Stephen Caswell said he was “horrified” to learn that the business case had already been completed.
“We can’t believe that with a project of this magnitude, of this magnitude, they can get away with it without making the business case public.”
“There’s no scrutiny, there’s no independent referee, they just go ahead behind closed doors … it’s ridiculous,” he said.
He said his group had been asking to see the business case for more than two years.
“The whole project has been full of lack of transparency,” he said.
Renzo Benedet, of the Hartley District Progress Association, said he was “disgusted” and “disappointed” by the lack of transparency about the taxpayer-funded project.
“They must be hiding something.”
“The only conclusion I can come to is that the economic benefits of that [project] it’s much, much less than is being projected, ”he said.
The NSW government promises that the entire project, including the 11-mile tunnel, will save travelers 30 minutes. (Provided by: NSW Transportation)
“The culture of secrecy”
NSW opposition has accused the government of a “culture of secrecy” with the Blue Mountains highway, the latest in a series of secret infrastructure proposals.
The NSW government has also refused to produce commercial cases for the new Dungowan Dam proposal near Tamworth and the plan to raise the Wyangala Dam near Cowra.
Road shadow minister John Graham said it was a “repeated issue” with the current government.
“We’ve seen a culture of secrecy when it comes to big transportation infrastructure projects.”
“Communities want to know not only what the benefits are, which are often well publicized, but also what the costs are and what impacts they will have on their local community,” he said.
Graham said Labor will seek documents through parliamentary processes.