Greens MLC Colleen Hartland has described the Planning Minister's decision to overturn her successful disallowance motion on the Barwon Heads Bridge today as "a sad day for Victoria".

"Last week I spoke in Parliament in support of the people of Barwon Heads. My disallowance motion, to revoke the Government's planning amendment to allow the construction of a second bridge, was triggered by the communities of Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove who have campaigned long and hard on this issue. Had the Government consulted effectively at the beginning it would not have come to this," said Colleen Hartland.

"The Minister didn't even turn up for the debate. It spoke volumes that he didn't even bother to hear what the community's concerns were."

"My motion passed because none of the government speakers had any answer on why they didn't follow their own coastal and marine policy. Nothing about building on an eroding sand dune without an environment effects statement, nothing about the loss of a family-friendly children's beach and the government's plan to turn it into a road reserve, nothing about the Greater Geelong City Council's overwhelming support for the one-bridge solution and nothing about the community consultation being steamrolled by VicRoads."

"Today, instead of respecting the democratic process, the Minister for Planning is ignoring the 2 500 people who attended the rally opposing the two bridge proposal earlier this year and the 3 000 people who signed a register."

"I'm not the least surprised that the Minister's press comments still don't address any of the community's concerns. He hasn't heard them, because old cloth-ears hasn't listened."

Further comment: Colleen Hartland - 9689 6373