A sharp war of words has erupted between the State Member for Bass, Jordan Crugnale, and Cardinia Shire Council over the long-delayed Lang Lang heavy vehicle bypass. The conflict comes as the State Government green-lights new Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERAs), ensuring that hundreds of sand trucks will continue to rumble through the township for years to come.

Ms. Crugnale has accused the Council of having “deaf ears” and stalling on the project’s first stage. She claims the Council already owns land within the proposed alignment and has failed to utilise quarry contributions to divert trucks from the main street. “They seem unawares of how much they have received from quarry contributions… and why they have not proceeded with Stage 1, which would divert trucks out of the main street immediately,” Ms. Crugnale said.

However, Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen has hit back, labelling the MP’s comments as “disappointing.” The Council argues that the bypass is a massive $57 million undertaking—a price tag they say the local community cannot shoulder alone. According to Cr Owen, contributions from quarry operators have covered less than two percent of the estimated costs.

“Council should not be expected to cover this alone,” Cr Owen stated, pointing out that the bypass serves regional interests by transporting sand from South Gippsland and Bass Coast to Melbourne. The Council is now calling on both State and Federal governments to bridge the funding gap, arguing that the State’s approval of increased quarrying makes the bypass a matter of urgent safety.

While both sides agree the community needs relief from the 50 trucks an hour currently passing through town, the road ahead remains blocked by a multi-million dollar question of who should pay the bill.