I will fight tollway: Bandt

Greens MP Adam Bandt says he will fight any Federal funding of any East West tollway through inner Melbourne. Reports today suggest industry and the State government is gearing up to proceed with plans for the roadway.

"People in Melbourne do not want a tollway cutting through their communities. Whether it is a tunnel or above ground, the East West link will make Melbourne less liveable and create a rats nest of off-ramps in the inner city", Mr Bandt said.

"For State government ministers, the inner suburbs of Melbourne are simply places you pass through to get somewhere else. For us, it's where we live."

"If the Federal Labor government wants to fund this madness they are going to have come through me. Minister Albanese needs to make clear the Gillard government will not fund this project. Federal funding should be focused on improving public transport infrastructure and getting freight on rail, not building road tunnels and tollways through communities."

"Community leaders met in my office this week to map out a battle plan to dispel some of the myths being peddled by those who stand to make money from this tollway. The community is not going to take this lying down."