I call on the Minister for Planning to reject this Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the WestConnex M4/M5 EIS, project number SSI 16_7485. I am alarmed that this EIS has been prepared without a specific design for the project. I am especially concerned about the consequences of the toll roads for the people of Wollongong and the South Coast.

Sydney has more toll road kilometres than any other city in the world. The proposed additional toll roads will be a burden on our community travelling to and from Sydney, especially for people that need trade vehicles for their work. It will also make it harder for tourists to reach the Illawarra.

There is almost no analysis of the social and economic impact of toll roads in the EIS. Building new roads will also exacerbate congestion and parking in central Sydney.

The proposed new M5 extension depends on the F6 extension, which would have a substantial negative impact on the Illawarra. The F6 project has not been properly assessed. It would lead to the destruction of hundreds of homes and hectares of open space and parkland, and threatens the Royal National Park, in addition to what has already been destroyed for WestConnex.

I, like many people of the Illawarra, call for improved train services to Sydney. The WestConnex plan is intended to funnel more cars into central Sydney. A modern solution, focusing on public transport, would reduce the number of cars going into Sydney, save money, cut pollution, be more acceptable to the population, and prevent the wholesale destruction of valuable landscape and heritage.

I object to the fact that each section of the Westconnex is assessed separately so that there is never any accurate assessment of cumulative impacts.

This EIS is a rushed and incomplete document and should not be accepted by NSW Planning.

I urge the Secretary of NSW Planning to advise the Minister to reject this EIS, which is incomplete, outdated, and damaging.