Native species of wildlife are pushed to the margins. Climate change driven by carbon emissions is killing the world's coral reefs. Compared to rail, roads are second-rate infrastructure. We need responsible spending of tax dollars. In all of these concerns VicRoads, in South-Eastern Australia, aims to be on the wrong side of history. Sign this petition to help persuade VicRoads to change their out-of-date thinking. It is no mistake to say this petition is Owlfully Important.
We know the Powerful Owl occupies the habitat VicRoads will disturb and destroy. In 2016 independent professional environmental reports (one commissioned by VicRoads itself) established that the upcoming stage of the Western Highway upgrade at the Gateway to the Grampians contravenes the relevant environmental law, and the Victorian Native Vegetation Management Framework. In planning, VicRoads used flawed assessments. Furthermore, they are proceeding against local residents' preferences.
VicRoads preferred alignment will:
create a new route averaging 70m wide, up to 150m wide in places, cost in excess of $24M more than an alternative, cut through farms, fragment remaining habitat for many animals: golden sun moth, striped legless lizards, barking owls, phascogales, bearded dragons and flora; in addition the new road will eradicate critically endangered remnant ecological communities. The chosen route will be further and take longer than the alternative and require the removal of an additional 500,000 cubic metres of soil and rock.
