VETERAN TV personality, and Camperdown resident, Benita Collings, has joined the fight against WestConnex.

Collings, who hosted the classic children’s program Play School on the ABC for more than 30 years, has been named as an honorary ambassador for the anti-motorway group Camperdown Residents Against WestConnex (CRAW).

media_camera A WestConnex infographic released on May 12.

And the popular presenter is wasting little time letting her views be known about plans for Stage 3 of the $16.8 billion toll road.

Speaking at a CRAW meeting immediately after a WestConnex M4-M5 Link Community information session in Camperdown last week, Ms Collings said the Sydney Motorway Corporation, overseeing construction of WestConnex, and Roads and Maritime Services, provided little detail about the project.

media_camera Benita Collings, is now an honorary ambassador for Camperdown Residents Against WestConnex. media_camera Benita Collings holding a piglet in Play School in 1998.

“It seemed to me the WestConnex Stage 3 Concept Design, four months later than expected, was

either deliberately lacking in essential detail, or just quite amateurish.

“It was near impossible to download the 160MB document, and for those who could open and decipher it, was extremely light on detail.”

Ms Collings said SMC staff seemed unwilling to engage in discussion or feedback about the way the Concept Design was presented online.

“At the community session, it was very difficult to get straight answers on a wide range of

questions and concerns. It wasn’t conducted as an information meeting really, with knowledgeable SMC and RMS speakers. Instead, it was arranged more like a drop in centre, with glossy brochures, flashing screens displaying colourful animations of ‘indicative’ routes from the online document and numerous staff wandering around.

media_camera Benita Collings in Play School from the 1970s.

“To their serious inquiries, residents either got vague assurances or were just straight out told by staff they didn’t know the answers.”

Ms Collings said many questions from residents about exhaust stacks, noise, timing and the actual route of the proposed M4-M5 Link were answered with a stock standard: “It will be in the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) when that is released.”

“If I had ever turned up for work to face the cameras, crew and director with such little preparation, I can tell you I wouldn’t have lasted 30 years on Play School.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t a game”.

A CRAW spokesman said that Collings, as a concerned inner west resident, was an excellent Ambassador for the organisation and she wider community.

“Benita has generously volunteered her profile and considerable time to raise the profile of not just CRAW but the greater WestConnex citywide issues affecting our community.

“Her main concerns are the destruction, increased health risks and terrible waste of WestConnex which will not solve Sydneys traffic chaos.”