|
Wednesday, 1 October 2008 It seems that Boral intend to totally ignore the community with regard to the destruction of the canal reserve cycleway, refusing to respond to correspondence or provide any meaningful community feedback. Consequently it seems the community will need to take the "Build our Bridge" message directly to Boral's Board and shareholders. Whilst shareholders may not see any value in replacing the safe cycleway they have destroyed, they can surely see the damage Boral's Board and Management are doing to the Boral brand by snubbing the community, the community that purchases Boral products and thus sustains the company. The most effective method to achieve direct contact and acknowledgement by the Board and shareholders will be to attend the upcoming Boral Annual General Meeting. For any shareholders reading this who will be attending the AGM, and care about the community, we implore you question the Board on why they refuse to respond to community expectations and why the Board is so happy to damage Boral's standing in the community. The meeting is set for Friday, 24 october 2008 at 10:30am and is to be held at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney. To effectively get the message across to shareholders it would be best to be there by 9:15am. If you can make it on this day please mark your diary NOW. Boral needs to understand that the community is not happy and that we expect them to start honouring their Code of Corporate Conduct which states: “Ensuring the impact and integrity of our operations and actions on employees, customers, the communities and environment in which we operate, meet both the spirit and letter of the law and community expectations”.Everyone in the community, that we talk to, feels that Boral is failing miserably in meeting community expectations. Why is it that Boral can't see that? |
|
Wednesday, 17 September 2008 Following the upheaval in the ranks of the NSW State Government in last few weeks, we now have a new set of players responsible for ensuring that a SAFE cycleway is returned to us. This means that these new Ministers need to understand the issue, and understand that we are not going to allow it to rest until we see a positive result. We have updated our government contacts page with the new Minister's/Member's details and it is essential that everyone writes/emails letters of protest to each of the contacts listed. Even if you wrote to the previous contacts it is important that you now contact the new people and voice your disapproval at the situation. Don't be put off that we have listed Nathan Rees and David Borger twice. They both have dual responsibilities that are connected with the issue, and there are separate addresses for each responsibility. So please write to them at each address in the vein we have suggested with the contact details. Please click here and send your protest today. |
|
Friday, 12 September 2008 The contruction site detour link track into the Nelson's Ridge estate is finally open. Work is still continuing on the permanant perimeter fencing, however, the orange construction fencing has been removed, which would mean the track is available for use. Signposting of a full detour to Prospect Reservoir from the Canal Reserve has not happened, so the full detour route is far from obvious for those who don't know the estate or the industrial area on the western side of the ridge. Riding through the industrial estate is also far from safe, as the roads, and warehouse entrances, can be busy during the week and the footpaths are dangerously overgrown for children, who are allowed on the footpaths. |
|
Use this detour with care. We do not really recommend using the full detour at all for safety reasons, however, as Boral has failed to provide a safe alternative while
construction is underway some people may not have a choice.
For easier viewing click here for a larger map then click the red line to see a description of the detour route. |
View Larger Map |
|
Wednesday, 3 September 2008 Another two weeks have passed and Boral still haven't had the courtesy to respond to the community regarding the replacement of a safe cycleway. Good morning Boral. When are you going to respond to the community? |
|
Wednesday, 3 September 2008 Over two weeks ago we advised that the construction site detour track concrete had finally been poured. Progress on the site, since then, has been moving at a snail's pace. Mulching and planting has been completed and a few signs and bollards have been installed, but still the site is surrounded by orange temporary fencing. Given the procrastination, it is no wonder people have been laying the fence down to use the path on weekends. A more than 4 month delay in providing a detour is just not good enough. Again we ask, why Boral didn't do anything about a detour before destroying the safe cycleway. When will the detour be finally available for use? |
|
Wednesday, 20 August 2008 Nearly four months after Boral destroyed the SAFE cycleway, they have not had the courtesy to provide a meaningful response to correspondence from CRAG regarding the replacement of a SAFE cycleway. Shame, shame, shame. We await your response Boral. |
|
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 Boral has announced an annual profit for 2008 of $243 million yet still refuses to replace the safe cycleway they have destroyed. According to the announcement, Boral's Australian revenue rose 13% and Australian earnings rose 9% - that's a profit increase to Boral from the Australian community, the same community that Boral has taken a safe cycleway from, and the same community Boral is refusing to communicate with. The announcement invites you to contact the CEO & Managing Director, Rod Pearse, on 02 9220 6490 for more information. Why not give Mr Pearse a call personally (make sure you get through to him) and ask him why Boral will not return a cycleway as safe as the one they have removed. Surely with a profit of $243 million mainly derived from our community Boral can afford to "Build our Bridge". Surely Mr Pearse can see that that is the community expectation. Remind Mr Pearse of Boral's Code of Corporate Conduct: “Ensuring the impact and integrity of our operations and actions on employees, customers, the communities and environment in which we operate, meet both the spirit and letter of the law and community expectations”. |
|
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 Deadlines for the contruction site detour keep passing, and after nearly four months, the detour still isn't available for use. The last deadline, one of many, was 18 August 2008. The good news is that the last of the detour track concrete was finally poured today. However, the concrete still needs to cure, there is remediation and landscaping to be completed, and the site will need to be made safe by the reinstatement of fences. So, opening of the link will not be happening immediately. And a note to those responsible. We did notice the damage to the heritage canal wall! Why wasn't entry into the canal done in an approved manner? |
|
Monday, 4 August 2008 Presumably by now, anyone who wrote to the Minister for Roads or the Minister for Western Sydney would have received this form letter from the Minister for Roads. There are two versions of the form letter; the first paragraphs differ, as does the signatory. Commoners only receive the version signed by the parliamentary secretary. The letter is appallingly inadequate. The bulk of the letter deals with the detour, which was announced with much fanfare at the start of July. Yes, we knew all about it over a month ago. We write to Ministers to get real answers because their departments and corporates like Boral refuse to provide adequate feedback to the community, yet all we get is reporting of stale news. Not good enough Mr Roozendaal! And the detour will NOT be finished before the end of July. It will not be finished any earlier than 18 August 2008 - and will no doubt be subject to further delays. This will mean that it has been four months between the destruction of the safe cycleway by Boral and the provision of a detour. If the delays continue at this rate, the unsafe highway crossing will be completed before the construction detour is in place. Boral should have had the link completed before they were allowed to destroy the canal cycleway. Not good enough Mr Roozendaal! The question begging from all this is - Why is the RTA and not Boral funding the detour link? Boral destroyed the canal and committed to a detour and signage, yet never delivered. Boral wanted links into their Nelson's Ridge estate as a selling point to show how community minded they think they are, yet have managed to get the RTA to fund their link. Corporate welfare never seems to end. Why didn't the RTA (or NSW Planning) have a service level agreement and penalty clauses to ensure Boral delivered? Not good enough Mr Roozendaal! So the real issue that concerns the community is still left virtually unaddressed. A mere 19 words of a 280 word letter refer to the issue: "I am also advised the RTA is exploring, with Boral, options for the permanent reconnection of the Lower Prospect Canal Cycleway." What does that mean Mr Roozendaal? It sounds like weasel words to us, something to fob off the community. It certainly doesn't mean there is any commitment to return our SAFE cycleway. Not good enough, we want a real answer Mr Roozendaal! In the last paragraph Mr Roozendaal pushes us to "the RTA's Transport Planning Manager, Mr Matt Faber on 8849 2237". Well guess what, that isn't even Mr Faber's phone number. For anyone interested the real phone number is 9218 3903 but you would be wasting your time. We have managed to contact Mr Faber and - wait for it - he doesn't know anything about the "options for the permanent reconnection of the Lower Prospect Canal Cycleway". It is being handled by someone else in the RTA and Mr Faber doesn't know who that would be. It is clear that the community is being treated with contempt by both Boral and the RTA. Not good enough Mr Roozendaal! After so many months we were hoping to be able to praise Mr Roozendaal for stepping in and bringing some commonsense to the table, but we have been bitterly disappointed with such an impotent response. Mr Roozendaal, it is time for you to personally have words with Boral to ensure that our SAFE cycleway isn't sacrificed for the opportunity for Boral to record even higher profits at the community's expense. We implore everyone who received a response from the Minister's office to reply to Mr Roozendaal (don't bother with secretaries) and let him know that his response is inadequate and just not good enough. Ask him to personally intervene to have our SAFE cycleway restored, as it seems his department is not achieving anything. If you haven't already written to Mr Roozendaal, please do it now (and encourage everyone you know to write as well), as his response to date indicates he doesn't think enough people care about the issue. His contact details can be found here. |
|
Sunday, 3 August 2008 Once again Boral is singing their own praises as heroes to the local community in this press release on their website. Whilst the objectives of the project are worthy and environmentally desirable, some of the side effects are not. Possibly Boral should remember the old adage "self praise in no recommendation" as their press release pumps up the positives while ignoring some of the realities. The project involved the laying of a pipeline from the southern extremity of the Boral site to the Cumberland Country Golf Club. The pipeline now runs along the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve for much of its length. The pipe was laid through a designated regrowth corridor under the pretence that it was a maintenance road - it isn't. Although viable alternate routes, that didn't impact on the reserve, were available and highlighted by CRAG, they were ignored and the regrowth corridor was ripped up and trampled. Four years of regrowth destroyed for a commercial project. We don't regard that as environmentally responsible. The press release paints a glowing picture of Boral the community minded corporate with quotes such as: "En route to the golf course water will also be available for the irrigation of selected public parks and Greystanes Public School grounds." What they don't mention is that all this means is that there will be a tap at Hylands Road and Greystanes Public School. No mention that an expensive filtration and pumping system may be required (as indicated in this council document where water treatment is proposed) to make the water usable. More community expense. We are hearing reports that the groundwater is salt contaminated which, if true, makes it useless. Strange that Boral didn't detect this during the "extensive period of investigation". Similar to how they didn't pickup that the regrowth corridor wasn't a road during such a thorough investigation. Boral advises: "This project is supported by the NSW Government Water Savings Fund and the Australian Government community water grants, as well as contributions from Cumberland Country Golf Club members." Interestingly there is no mention that Boral had a financial interest in the project. Could that be because they didn't fund it? At the end of the day, Boral had a problem with excess water and it seems that various sectors of the community have paid to solve Boral's problem and have allowed a community reserve to be compromised. Yet Boral refuse to fund a bridge to replace the SAFE cycleway they have destroyed to generate more record profits. We are so glad that Boral supports the community in such a generous way and it certainly causes us to look carefully whenever we see Boral trumpeting their good deeds. |
|
Monday, 28 July 2008 CRAG does not condone the vandalism of the temporary fence that blocks the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve cycleway construction area near Hyland Road Greystanes. The purpose of the fence is to protect children and unwary cyclists/walkers from the inherent dangers of Boral's construction work. We would implore whoever has removed the fence to not add to the dangers already created by Boral removing our safe cycleway. While CRAG does not condone the actions, it shows the level of frustration within the community at the arrogance of Boral and the Minister for Roads. Three months after ambushing the community, by destroying the cycleway, the community has not had any meaningful responses from Boral or the Minister after repeated calls for the return of a SAFE cycleway. This level of arrogance and disregard for the community is simply not acceptable. Please write to Dr Ken Moss, Boral Chairman and Eric Roozendaal, Minister for Roads and tell them that you expect meaningful responses to the community's concerns in a timely manner. The stalling tactics are contemptuous and these individuals need to understand that. |
|
Saturday, 19 July 2008 Nearly three months have passed since the community was ambushed by Boral, destroying a section of the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve cycleway/walkway and we still don't have any REAL answers from Boral or the NSW State Government. As previously advised here, Sylvia Hale (Greens MLC) posed questions to both the Minister for Planning and Minister for Roads regarding the reinstatement of a safe cycleway. Finally after nearly six weeks, answers from both Ministers have now been posted to the NSW Governments website, here (Roads) and here (Planning). Well, aren't the answers a treat. Calling them answers is actually incorrect, they are merely responses, they tell us nothing about the issue. However, they do tell us a lot about how the community's wishes are viewed by the Ministers. The Minister for Roads couldn't even be bothered to address the points raised and he finishes with the statement "The RTA is exploring with Boral, options for the permanent reconnection of the Lower Prospect Canal Cycleway." Add that to the quote from Joe Tripodi (filling in for Eric Roozendaal) "The weight of the argument, and desire to get the bridge is there, but they will have to compare it to all their other capital works priorities." and you can see we are being softened up for the bad news. Given the fanfare for a tiny section of cycleway link to make the diversion around the Boral construction easier it seems the NSW Government thinks they are off the hook. Sorry, we are not that easily misdirected. But while we're on the subject of the link, why isn't Boral paying for the link? They made the committment to a construction site bypass that they haven't honoured. The link is also a benefit for their Nelson's Ridge housing estate and was originally supposed to be put in by them as part of the estate that is earning Boral millions of dollars. Surely Boral should have funded the link. Given the progress of time and the lack of meaningful responses from Boral and the Government it is clear that they both need to be reminded that they are NOT off the hook. We are not going away and this issue is not going away. Please help to push the message home - again. It seems that without persistance we are going to be ignored. Write to Dr Ken Moss, Boral Chairman and Eric Roozendaal, Minister for Roads and tell them you are not happy with being ignored, and that you expect them to reinstate a cycleway as safe as the one they have destroyed. We aren't asking for anything extra, just that they put the cycleway back the way they found it. Just as their mother's should have taught them. |
|
Thursday, 3 July 2008 Some progress finally on the Boral construction site detour today, as Minister Joe Tropodi (standing in for the Minister for Roads, Eric Roozendaal), officially announced that the NSW Government has provided $200,000 to fund a cycleway linkage from the Canal Reserve into the Nelsons Ridge Estate at Pemulwuy. This detour removes the need to cycle on busy Gipps Road to be able to reach Prospect Reservoir from Greystanes. The funds have been provided to Holroyd City Council who will manage the construction, which is scheduled to commence on Monday, 7 July 2008 and is expected to take 4 weeks to complete. This is pleasing news. However, it is something Boral should have addressed back in April when they blocked the Canal Reserve cycleway, without notice, as part of the project work on the Prospect Highway construction. It does not, however, address the primary concern of the community, which is the reinstatement of a SAFE cycleway on the Canal Reserve. Both the government and Boral are being very quiet on this point with no information forthcoming. We have a clear message to Boral and the government which is “BUILD OUR BRIDGE” and it seems the community needs to continue to send that message to the contacts on this website, again and again and again. Please send a note today. |
|
Wednesday, 25 June 2008 Sylvia Hale (Greens MLC) has now raised questions in the current session of parliament on behalf of the community with regard to the canal cycleway. Ms Hale has posed Question 1847 to the Minister for Roads who has, to date, not provided any meaningful answers to the community with regards to the cycleway. Please keep writing to the Minister for Roads as he needs to fix the problem. Ms Hale has also asked the Minister for Planning Question 1846. It is good to see that at least some of our parliamentarians are making a positive contribution. However, we need the ones with the pursestrings to take notice, and that will only happen if you make an effort and continue to write to the contacts on this website. |
|
Friday, 13 June 2008 Boral have produced a Media Statement that attempts to paint themselves as innocent bystanders in the project that is taking away our safe cycleway and replacing it with an unsafe highway crossing. The media statement is set out below with our comments. |
| Boral's Statement | Our Comments |
|
MEDIA STATEMENT NEW CYCLEWAY CROSSING AT WIDEMERE ON THE WAY |
|
|
A new cycleway crossing is to be built at Widemere as part of the multi-million dollar redevelopment of the Southern Employment Lands.
|
Given that the project has destroyed the existing cycleway, of course access should be restored. However, it should be safe access not a dangerous highway crossing. |
|
The new crossing will be built by Boral at no cost to ratepayers and follows consultation over the past 18 months with Holroyd, Fairfield and Blacktown councils, State Government authorities and residents. |
Boral has removed a safe cycleway and will replace it with an unsafe highway crossing. Why should there be a cost to ratepayers? They didn't destroy the cycleway. What residents were consulted? Why wasn’t a Community Advisory Group formed for serious community consultation. |
|
During construction, the existing cycleway crossing will be closed, according to the Senior Development Manager at the site, John Imrie. |
Statement of the obvious. A more accurate statement would be: "has been closed, with no warning". |
|
He said the proposal for the new cycleway, including the changes to the existing canal, had been publicly exhibited in September, 2006, and there had been no objections lodged against the suggested changes by either Council or residents. |
The fact remains that the community is unaware of this exhibition and especially any plans to remove safe access to and from Prospect Reservoir. The focus of the exhibit was on the land development and the cycleway removal did not figure prominantly. |
|
The removal of a small portion of the Lower Prospect Canal was expressly approved by the Heritage Council of NSW. This has been done under the supervision of an archaeologist and material collected for an interpretive display. |
Why wasn’t this shared with the community for 3 years. If it’s a small portion of the canal why has Boral told us a replacement bridge would need to be huge. |
|
“The work being undertaken is in line with the approvals received by Boral.” he said. “The plans have not changed since then. Boral is complying with all the relevant planning legislation.” |
This has never been in dispute. Why is Boral defending something that hasn’t been challenged? More to the point is whether Boral is complying with their own internal Code of Corporate Conduct. |
|
Mr Imrie said the closure was expected to be in place for an estimated six months while construction of the new cycleway crossing and the extended Reconciliation Drive was undertaken.” |
This is about the only thing that has been communicated to the community, but it was still after the fact. Why wasn’t there advance notice of the closure? |
|
“We apologise to cyclists who use the current crossing regularly for this necessary temporary closure,” he said. “However, the advice from the experts is that such a closure is needed for safety reasons due to the level of heavy machinery involved in the construction of the new roadway and crossing |
Of course a heavy construction site will be unsafe - we didn’t even need to consult experts to know that. The issue is that Boral hasn’t provided a detour as per their own Cycleway Management Plan. The apology should be for not providing a detour as promised. |
| “We are confident cyclists and local residents will be supportive of the decision on safety grounds, especially since the end result will be a significantly improved road system for the community, which will divert heavy traffic from residential areas in Greystanes.” |
Closing the cycleway during construction has never been the issue nor has the need for a highway been disputed. Why do Boral keep defending the non issues while ignoring the real issues. |
|
Thursday, 5 June 2008 No news is NOT good news. The community has not received any meaningful feedback from the RTA or Boral. Holding replies from government and blame shifting from Boral are the only responses to date. Unfortunately, our past experience during the campaign to have the Canal Reserve created, shows that a common strategy is "ignore them and they'll go away". Please don't let them get away with this. Keep sending emails/letters demanding that they Build our Bridge. The issue has now received coverage in the Parramatta Sun (4 June 2006) and the Parramatta Advertiser (4 June 2006). Boral has attempted to paint themselves as innocent bystanders in the Parramatta Advertiser (4 June 2006) which mainly quotes from Boral's pre-prepared media statement. The statement ignores the issues and indulges in blame shifting. No matter how Boral attempt to spin this, they have not met the expectations of the community as per their own Code of Corporate Conduct and have lost the trust of the community in which they have operated for 100 years. |