War of words

By Kelly Yates
NARRE Warren North MP Luke Donnellan has been accused of deliberately undermining Casey CEO Mike Tyler and council officers.
South Eastern Metropolitan MP Gordon Rich-Phillips is accusing Mr Donnellan of using a letter, which was sent to residents asking them to sign a petition to reduce the speed limit on Parkhill Drive in Berwick, to continue what has been described as a long-standing attack on the officers.
The letter from Mr Donnellan states that he has lobbied the CEO of the local council to do something to make the road safer for the community.
In the letter, Mr Donnellan says that unfortunately, Mr Tyler refuses to do anything about the issue.
“By launching into a personal attack on the CEO, Mr Donnellan actually detracts from the matter at hand – the Parkhill Drive issue,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
As reported in the News last week, residents are rallying together to put pressure on Casey council to lower the speed limit and install a crossing along the road.
Anna Iredale described the road as a “killer” after her 11-year-old daughter Sandra was killed in a collision along the road back in April.
Casey CEO Mike Tyler said Mr Donnellan, as a member of parliament, would know that speed controls were a major traffic control item under State Government’s own agency VicRoads.
Mr Tyler said the reference to him in the letter appeared to be an attempt to divert attention away from the MP’s own responsibility to his constituents.
“Council officers reviewed the speed limit on this section of road with VicRoads, and VicRoads officers were of the view that the speed limit was appropriate,” Mr Tyler said.
He said Mr Donnellan had been advised that a review had been undertaken, but chose to portray the outcome as the CEO refusing to do anything.
Mr Tyler said Mr Donnellan should approach VicRoads to discuss his concerns about the speed limit on Parkhill Drive. In reference to the allegations of a personal attack in the letter, Mr Tyler said he was not prepared to comment on the personal nature of the attack, or on others which had occurred.
Mr Rich-Phillips said if Mr Donnellan wanted to take a swipe at anyone it should have been the Casey councillors – one of whom until very recently worked in his electorate office.
“This is nothing but a cheap political and blatant attempt to undermine Casey council officers,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
Mr Donnellan made one comment to the News, saying “Who’s Gordon Rich-Phillips?”