We are thrilled!! Danielle Green really does love the Doreen Red Gums! Thank you Danielle for asking in parliament to help Save the Doreen Red Gums!!! As received this morning! �❤️ � ADJOURNMENT MATTER — Ms Green to ask the Minister for Roads and Road Safety — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and the action I seek is that the minister explore ways that VicRoads can further minimise tree removal through the design process for the Yan Yean Road duplication stage 2 project. My local community have raised concerns with me about the potential impact on significant river red gums. These local concerns have come to light through the extensive consultation process that is being currently run by VicRoads. Locals are very grateful that this government funded Yan Yean Road stage 1 and in last year's budget funded stage 2 as well. They recognise that tree removal can be a consequence of road improvement but they have particular concerns about two significant and very large river red gums that are at the gateway to rural Doreen. They are something that people really identify with as being part of the character of Doreen. Locals are particularly grieving about the loss of river red gums in the area after the unfortunate removal of a massive river red gum on the corner of Bridge Inn and Plenty roads to make way for a supermarket. This tree went overnight - no consultation, no advice to people - so people have been very, very upset about this. When I went to find out how this could have occurred and I asked the council how it occurred, it came to light that it was the doing of the previous planning minister, who had called in the Coles development on the corner of Bridge Inn Road and Plenty Road and then approved the removal of native vegetation - the massive river red gums - there with no advice to the community. We are not that sort of government. The Minister for Planning is in the house right now, as is the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, and I know we take a completely different approach when we are building the necessary infrastructure that is needed to support our community, something that the previous planning minister on his watch did not do. He expanded the urban growth boundary. The population of Mernda and Doreen doubled on his watch between 2011 and 2014, and I am sad to report to the house that not one dollar of state funds was allocated during his time as planning minister, when all this population growth occurred, to support this growth. We are now getting on with the job, and I am delighted that the Bridge Inn Road duplication has been funded in this year's budget because I think it offers opportunities to maybe have a different approach to the intersection. I urge the minister to have VicRoads act. Responses Mr DONNELLAN (Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (19:22) — In relation to the Yan Yean Road project, this is early consultation. We have received a lot of community feedback. We will very much work with the community to ensure that we minimise the impact on the environment around this road construction, absolutely. I know that river red gums used to be taken out of Hallam many years ago to actually line the inner-city streets — the lanes. Funnily enough these river red gums have been incredibly popular through the history of Victoria. Absolutely we will ensure that we minimise that impact and we will continue working with the community to ensure that we save as many as possible.