Paul's Blog - Shame: 100 Year Old Wahroonga Fig Trees Removed By RailCorp

What an absolute shame that on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, the fig trees that have graced the Wahroonga railway platform for over 100 years were abruptly removed by RailCorp chainsaws.

It is a sad state of affairs – but all too typical of the arrogance and disregard that this current State Labor Government continually demonstrates towards the Upper North Shore of Sydney.

It is hard to avoid the suspicion that – as with the Ku-ring-gai Town Centres Plan - there is a large element of political ‘pay back’ in what State Labor is doing to the Upper North Shore – because they perceive it as an area which traditionally votes Liberal.  Why else do we see example after example of an unresponsive State bureaucracy showing no regard for our local area and the people who live here?

Railcorp’s claim – that the fig tree massacre was necessary to maintain pedestrian safety – simply beggars belief.  These fig trees are 100 years old!  Where was the safety issue for the past 99 years?

Premier Kristina Keneally and Transport Minister John Robertson have a lot to answer for – and I, along with the people of the North Shore are waiting for an explanation.

I fear we will be waiting a long time.