Residents at Eagleby and other areas impacted by the proposed Stage 2 Coomera Connector road are becoming increasingly anxious.
Government representatives at consultation sessions last week said some aspects of the project remained “confidential”.
These included cost and risk analyses which compared possible options for the route of the new highway.
Peter Stephens is an engineer whose home opposite Eagleby Wetlands at Alberton stands to be bulldozed as a result of current plans.
He, along with other residents, cannot understand why the government refuses to share all available information and reports in order to publicly debate proposed corridors.
Mr Stephens said the fate of his self-constructed “forever home” might be easier to accept if he knew when, how and under what conditions the government wanted to do things.
“How are we supposed to trust people involved with the project if we can’t see the information?” he said. “We can’t help but think things are a bit dodgy.”
MyCity Logan asked Transport and Main Roads to clarify why aspects of the project remained confidential, particularly during a consultation phase.
A TMR spokesperson responded to MyCity Logan’s questions with a 20-paragraph response which spoke about “independent” reports.
“Key risks, including geotechnical risks, were assessed and included in the assessment and reflected on the total project cost of each option,” it said, still providing detail of what those risks were.
“Overall, many of these risks are similar across all options, including the gazetted Coomera Connector corridor, as they are all within the floodplain of the Logan and Albert River.”
Some residents have questioned how a full assessment can be done when a business case won’t be completed until 2023.
Mr Stephens said: “I think most reasonable people know that the road has to happen in some form, but the government seems to be stuck to the current route. If we could see all the facts and how they stack up across each of the options, maybe we’ll all end up agreeing that it’s the right thing to do.”
The project is still reliant on federal funding and the results of an environmental assessment in context of Commonwealth law.
Member for Forde Bert van Manen labelled the current consultation phase a “complete sham”.
“How can the public have any faith in a government who pretend they are consulting when the facts suggest otherwise, and they have confidential research which they won’t share with the public?” he said.
“We’re talking about a road – not a defence system.
“For the sake of this important environmental asset (Eagleby Wetlands), I hope the outcome will change, but I doubt public opinion will change the state government’s mind because they’ve made it clear they are already committed to the route.”
Mayor Darren Power said council had been briefed by TMR, following a submission outlining council’s concerns.
“It was explained by TMR that an alternative transport corridor to ease traffic pressure on the M1 was the most feasible and cost-effective solution,” Cr Power said.
“It’s important that the Queensland government ensures the proposed alignment of the planned Coomera Connector minimises impacts on the environment and nearby communities.”
And according to some residents, therein lies the problem.
The state government is briefing people, telling them what the best outcome is – telling everyone what’s good for the people under the guise of “independent assessments” that nobody can see, one resident said.
They’re not however, releasing information which explains why.
