June 28 East West link tunnel protest brought Melbourne out in force

The Minister has stated in his approval that he does ‘not rely on a business case’ and further that it is ‘not necessary’ for him to do so. He states it is sufficient that it is enshrined in Plan Melbourne. This is the haphazard the undemocratic nature of what's called "planning" in Victoria. It's authoritarian and non-transparent. Mega-decisions are made without proper discussion with the public. The Minister has accepted the adverse impacts on Royal Park and the Zoo of the Elliott Avenue interchange and determined this will not proceed. We used to have the naive idea that politicians were employed to act on our best interests. Now, they are captured by corporate lobby groups that are more powerful than democratic processes. The 'business case' is not necessary, as the costs of the unwanted EW link will be ultimately paid by tax payers. The decision by the Minister also flies in the face of the groundswell of community opposition to the East West Link demonstrated by the thousands of people who turned out for the Trains Not Tolls rally on the steps of the State Library on Saturday. Planning is about political manoeuvring and manipulating, not actually enhancing and protecting Melbourne as a liveable city. We don't need to justify ourselves to the international community, by having the tallest towers, the biggest freeway or tunnel, or be the biggest city compared to Europe! We don't want big population growth, and the costs involved. Plan Melbourne is not about catering to a "projected" population growth to double by 2051, but a self-fulfilling prophesy to ensure this happens - by luring people to Melbourne to buy houses and apartments. Already Melbourne is changing too fast, and is unstable. The results are crime, homelessness, vagrancy, poverty, rising costs of living, inadequate schools, and cuts to public services. The best way is to leave Melbourne.