Petition Update – Still Fighting
Yesterday, I had my meeting with Councillors Mark Booth and Tony Latter about the intersection. Honestly? It was a bit deflating.
I won’t go into all the details just yet, but it’s clear to me that this intersection isn’t being seen as a top priority by Council right now — which is incredibly frustrating given the chaos and danger we deal with daily.
They told me a few things I don’t agree with, including the fact that this petition won’t even be tabled in Council because it’s not a “formal” petition. Apparently, for that to happen, I need to do a handwritten petition — yes, like literally going door to door to over 3,000 people to get pen written signatures. It feels like an intentional roadblock and, frankly, a huge waste of time.
That said, not all is lost. There are a couple of small positives:
• A new footpath is being investigated for Main Street (from Omara to the train station) so pedestrians won’t have to cross the road — which would be a game-changer for safety.
• A traffic signaling upgrade program (I think they called it Next Gen signalling)is on the horizon… but it’s still at least five years away, so no immediate help there. The current signaling is stuck in the Stone Age where they can’t stop it from resetting after each train.
• I also requested a “Keep Clear” marking at the intersection to stop people blocking the road. Which they will “look into”, it probably won’t make much of a difference, but it’s something.
I’m not giving up.
I’ve got a meeting next week with Terry Young, and I’m speaking to other reps too. The councillors mentioned that if we can secure state or federal funding, things could potentially move faster. Of course, that’s not easy either — neither Terry Young nor Shane King’s party is currently in power, so funding is tricky.
It looks like the 2028 election might be the moment this could gain traction with campaign promises. That feels far away, I know — but I’m in this for the long haul. Mark Booth suggested I “wrap up” the petition.
I absolutely will not.
I’m not letting this go.
And neither should you.
Thank you to everyone who’s supported and signed. We’re being heard — and I’m going to keep making noise until this gets the attention it deserves.
On a personal note: I’m heading into surgery next week and will be off work recovering for six weeks. One silver lining? My job is physical and I won’t be able to work… which means I’ll have more time to be a squeaky wheel online. 😉
I’m not done. I’m just getting louder.
#FixNarangbaIntersection #KeepThePressureOn