Media Release
Thursday, 20 November 1997
Eight Down - Sixteen Charges To Go
Some of them are off! Charges against the first eight arrestees from the Eastern Distributor protests were withdrawn in the Downing Centre Court this Monday.
Included amongst them was Waverley Greens Councillor Tom McLoughlin. He said,
"My position has been vindicated by a speech made in the State Upper House by Greens MLC Ian Cohen this week. He outlined new evidence that the RTA has underestimated the impact that the Distributor will have on our air quality."
MLC Cohen drew attention to a report entitled "Eastern Distributor Tollway: Critical Air Quality and Community Health Impacts" by Mr Noel Child, a research fellow with the University of Technology, Sydney. McLoughlin’s Councillor colleague, Murray Matson, intends to bring the report before Randwick Council next Tuesday night.
Cr McLouglin has still to face charges for his second arrest in which he gained wide spread media coverage by shackling himself by the throat to a truck’s bull bar.
Another sixteen arrests have also still to be resolved including that of Cr Matson who has commented,
"Both Premier Bob Carr and Opposition leader Peter should realise that you can’t just legislate away a park away from people and then think that you can forget about it. My eight colleagues were arrested protecting the public’s right to Moore Park. I think it to be a wonderfully powerful statement that the prosecution was not able to make a case against them. I would hope that the lesson is also not lost on Craig Knolwes, the Minister for Planning, nor or Carl Scully, the Minister for Roads."
Both Cr Matson and Cr McLoughlin said that they would continue to contest their remaining charges because ...
"...they arise from an issue that has to be defended for the greater public good."
Contact: Randwick Greens Councillor Murray Matson
Waverley Greens Councillor Tom McLouglin