Page 2914 - Week 13 - Thursday, 23 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Government proposes to tackle the residential amenity issue on a number of fronts. Street parking has already been banned in over 50 per cent of Reid, Braddon and Turner. It is also proposed to extend those bans in some areas to provide short-stay parking in other areas. This further reduces remaining long-stay parking opportunities by some 40 per cent. It also provides visitors of residents in those suburbs with kerbside parking. Where commuters park, a charge will be introduced to encourage the use of other readily available spaces in the city or the use of public transport.
The Government believes that this is an appropriate compromise which recognises the total community benefits, but we will over the coming weeks consult widely on the strategy and the detail of these arrangements. The general community cannot continue to subsidise provision of parking. Charges for commuter parking will progressively rise to a level where necessary parking structures are viable. This also includes some recognition of the road costs parkers generate.
We will, of course, continue to favour provision of short-stay parking and ensure that charges for such parking are structured to provide for shoppers and those doing business in town centres. The correct balance of financial incentives is an important element of our policy, and our commitment to the strategy is nowhere better evidenced than in the new parking fees and bus fares to take effect in January.
Bus fare increases have been well below what could have been expected, given the changes in the consumer price index. At the same time, parking fees will be increased by a substantial 50c a day in most cases, with further such rises in the future.
It is important not only that car drivers see the direct costs of car travel, such as petrol and tyres, but that they have some understanding and even experience of the costs the community bears for them, such as roads and parking areas. The new structure of fare and parking increases, particularly the decision not to increase pensioner and unemployed fares, is a substantial contribution to social equity. Indeed the whole policy, emphasising as it does public transport, favours the less well off in the community.
Mr Speaker, I am proud of this policy. It is far-sighted; it is equitable; it draws together a wide range of government policies; it deals with the environment in a positive and very active manner; and it is sound long-term financial planning. It touches on planning, economic development, capital creation, operational management, residential amenity and social equity.
The Government will be encouraging the community to recognise its overall benefits. However, we are also very
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .