Claws out as Rees talks of Cat Facts

Claws out as Rees talks of Cat Facts
THE Hills community is in disbelief after Premier Nathan Rees declared he may order an inquiry into the existence of Sydney's fabled big cat yet he still won't commit to the northwest rail link.
In Penrith on Friday Mr Rees said he did not think the big cat was ``necessarily an urban myth'' and would consider an inquiry into its existence.
The comments shocked local politicians and residents who have questioned Mr Rees' priorities.
When contacted about the metro Mr Rees ambiguously said ``at this stage I will not rule anything in or out''.
Baulkham Hills Shire Mayor Sonya Phillips said, ``It's not going to happen''.
Baulkham Hills State Liberal MP Wayne Merton said he always believed ``it's more like a ghost train than any chance of becoming a reality''.
``Local residents want, and quite rightly demand, a commitment from this government on the future of the rail.''
Pressure is building to replace the northwest metro with heavy rail as originally planned.
Transport experts and advocates have argued that a heavy rail line connecting the soon-to-be complete Epping to Chatswood line with the northwest would be cheaper and quicker to build.
Mr Rees said nothing had yet been decided and that planning for the line continued.
One person who welcomed Mr Rees latest comments was cryptozoologist Rex Gilroy who is an avid follower of the big cat.
``A proper investigation with no hiding of the facts would be great,'' Mr Gilroy said. ``It would be good to discover this species of marsupial cat and work out a strategy to have it protected not hunted down. I do not believe it is a direct danger to humans.''
Hills Shire Times: 23rd September 2008