$3.1m not too much to ask

A near fatality at the Avenel railway crossing earlier this year is still not enough for the state or federal governments to fund an urgently needed upgrade to make that township’s railway precinct safe, according to about 100 protesters who met at the site on Saturday 29 November. Politicians from multiple parties and all three levels of government spoke at the event, with Strathbogie Shire Mayor Scott Jeffery pulling no punches as he reminded locals of the April incident. “Everyone here knows how close we came to tragedy this year,” Cr Jeffery said. “And everyone knows that rail safety in this car park and intersection have been a conversation in this community for a very long time.” Cr Jeffery said the collision had impacted him and other parents the day it happened, saying he 'clearly remembered' receiving the CFA pager message. “I was in a meeting in Euroa with the executive and councilors when the page came, and I looked at (Avenel resident) Amanda Tingay who had started to receive texts as well, and we wondered whose child had been hit by a freight train in our town. “Some of my CFA colleagues who received the page and whose children cross the tracks daily wondered if they were turning out to an incident to find their own child smashed up and broken - or worse - 15 metres from where the train had hit them. “So, I'm here as a representative of the Strathbogie Shire Council but I'm also here as a dad; I'm here as a member of the Avenel Primary School Council; I'm here as an Avenel resident and I'm here as an Avenel CFA volunteer.” Cr Jeffery said a precinct master plan drafted by council now needed the state government to ‘step up’ and commit the $3.1 million needed to make the rail precinct safer. Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said he had not been satisfied with a response from federal Minister for Transport Catherine King on the issue. A letter from the minister said the Ewings Road rail crossing was assessed by ARTC as being compliant with Australian safety standards and that construction of pedestrian paths up to the level crossing was the responsibility of Strathbogie Shire Council. Ms King indicated in the letter that her advice was the ARTC would consider the crossing installation after council had installed the paths. Mr Birrell said he was disappointed with the lack of both state and federal funds. “My problem with this is that the Strathbogie Shire Council does a really good job with a very low rate base,” Mr Birrell said. “It does stuff that other councils don't have to do. “It's got a huge road infrastructure, and it just doesn't have the rates that a lot of city councils do. “That's when state and federal governments need to step in with money for projects that councils can't necessarily handle on their own.” Community group Avenel Active was commended for its continual lobbying for the upgrade. Helen Gwilliam said on behalf of the group that it had decided earlier this year to back council’s $3.1m plan and would campaign for a fully funded commitment from all major parties by next year’s state election. Ms Gwilliam said that the support from all parties had been heartening after ‘some difficulty’ getting a response from the government. “If there's an elected representative for Avenel at any level of government, we've been talking to them,” Ms Gwilliam said. “More than half the council is here today – it’s fantastic.” She also thanked Labor Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes and Animal Justice Party’s Georgia Purcell who were not present. Ms Symes had helped Avenel Active with access to state Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams. “It's been a bit of a revelation to us how much Upper House members have been able to help us as well,” Ms Gwilliam said. Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said in a statement that Avenel was a ‘small but mighty’ town. “What happened earlier this year shook this town to its core,” Ms Cleeland said. “A child on their bike, a train approaching, no safety gates, a clipped tyre, a moment that could have ended in tragedy. “Every one of us knows how much worse it could have been. “Avenel Active has been instrumental, looking beyond just the crossing to station access, parking, road design, pedestrian safety, and bus access.” Mr Birrell said he and Ms Cleeland were not going to rest until funding was provided. “It's incumbent on other levels of government to come in with some financial support,” he said. One Nation Member for Northern Victoria Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell said Avenel had a great active community that was well sustained and ‘didn’t ask for much’. She said she would take advantage of two extra adjournment matters in this week’s final sitting of state parliament to seek action from the minister. “I'm a politician and I'm going to make a promise, but I'm actually going to uphold it (and) seek an action from the minister for a commitment of $3.1 million for the community of Avenel,” Ms Tyrrell said. “It costs more to build a house in public housing for this state. “You deserve to be treated well and fairly and so I'm going to make sure that the minister hears you loud and clear and if she doesn't do that, then I'm going to ride her tail so hard next year. “This is the last sitting week – I'll go out with a bang for you.” Ms Cleeland said the message to government was clear. “The town has grown, but safety and design have not kept pace,” she said. “Avenel is welcoming young families who want to build their lives here (but) that only works if families can move safely between homes, school, town, and the train. “Right now, that safety is not at the standard that this community deserves.” Cr Jeffery said Saturday’s gathering was not about politics or council processes. “Today is about the safety of our kids, our families, our friends, and our neighbours,” he said. “The conversations aren't enough anymore, it's well past time for action.” Vital changes needed in the Avenel railway precinct include: • Installation of locking pedestrian gates to the Bank Street crossing • A pedestrian crossing at the rail intersection at Ewings Road • Safety fencing along the rail line within the township • Upgrades to car parking and footpaths • Reduction of Bank Street speed limit from 60 to 50kmh

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