TD8: Audience with the Minister, and other updates.

With Christmas looming and still no appointment made between GTCC and the State Transport Minister, TD8's David Marks and Rosi Lembke took action to doggedly email and ring the appropriate advisory staff in Minister Campbell's office until they succeeded in securing a meeting on December 15 in Sydney - no mean feat!

All of you on our email list have received a copy of our letter to the RTA, copied to the Minister. Do PLEASE back up our efforts by sending them your own personal email, even if only brief. A deluge of emails BEFORE December 15 will really strengthen our case.

Bulga Road was formerly Regional Road 109, and therefore received funding from the State Government. Since 1995, the RTA has deemed it is not significant enough to retain that status, and so has devolved responsibility for ongoing costs totally on to Council (apart from a one-off compensation payment back in 1995).

We want to prove to the Minister that the Tourist Drive 8 loop road, connecting the two regions of Manning and Hastings, is of great importance socially, economically, culturally, and ecologically to regional and state well-being. As part of our presentation, we would like to offer Minister Campbell a "gift hamper" to allow him to sample, and be aware of, some of the excellent products and businesses located along Tourist Drive 8.

We are currently approaching twenty-five diverse businesses/producers/organisations and inviting them to submit items for Minister Campbell's hamper. We hope this collective "gift" will impress him suitably and make him take note of the significant contribution this community makes to the State, and indeed the Nation.

Meanwhile, it appears GTCC and the RTA may have heard our pleas to carry out the urgent crossbeam repairs ASAP to allow ambulance, and hopefully smaller buses, across Marlee Bridge. We have been told by Graham Schultz at GTCC there is a possible start date of 14 December (instead of February) for repairs, to be confirmed. If and when the works are underway, please understand there will be some periods of bridge closure when the detour is the only way, and your patience will be required.

Paul Lewers is assisting us all to draft a formal petition to the NSW Parliament, and possibly another for Federal Parliament. When it is ready, we will let you know where you can add your signatures. It is the only way to ensure our own words get heard by every parliamentarian.

TD8 are expecting to meet with the Mayor, General Manager and Operations Manager mid-week, and hope to be informed of all developments including the outcome of their site meeting with an alternative temporary bridge supplier.

Don't forget if you are not on our direct email list but wish to be, just send us an email: td8actiongroup@gmail.com