Minister backs highway plan

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley is confident a stretch of Western Highway development work between Ararat and Buangor will avoid culturally significant trees.

Ms Ley said she was convinced, after considering an application for a protection order on the area, the trees were safe from the dual-carriageway project.

She said evidence supported a claim that five of the trees were culturally significant but failed to support a sixth tree listed in the claim.

Djab Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy had hoped Ms Ley, in reassessing a Commonwealth decision to reject a protection order based on a Federal Court ruling over a ‘legal error’, would change the ruling.

Ms Ley’s decision means the project, designed to improve traffic safety and connectivity in between Ballarat and Stawell but also the subject of spirited debate and delays, can proceed.

“My decisions recognise that impacts will be avoided on five of the six trees identified, including by the implementation of exclusion zones,” she said.

“I did not make a declaration for the remaining sixth tree as the evidence did not support the claim.

“I recognise that Major Road Projects Victoria has been working with Aboriginal groups to protect Aboriginal heritage in undertaking the highway upgrade, through the preparation and implementation of a cultural-heritage management plan which is given force under Victorian law.

“I have also decided not to make a declaration over a specified area of the proposed highway upgrade based on a number of factors including the road safety.”