Page 658 - Week 03 - Thursday, 15 March 2007
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(f) incorporating comparative analysis of other bus transport operators in Australian jurisdictions;
(g) focusing on ACTION’s services within the context of the sustainable transport plan with particular reference to:
(viii) the appropriateness of the plan especially targets;
(ix) progress towards implementation; and
(x) measures needed to ensure targets are met; and
(h) providing guidance on principles and key priorities for future service planning;
(2) the Committee report by 30 June 2007; and
(3) if the Assembly is not sitting when the Committee is ready to report, the Committee may send its report to the Speaker, or, in the absence of the Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker, who is authorised to give directions for its printing, publication and circulation.”.
I understand from the advice of the Clerk that, in speaking, I will be speaking to both the amendment and the substantive motion.
The government agree to the reference to the planning and environment committee suggested by Mrs Dunne. We want to change the terms of reference to ensure that appropriate comparisons are made with similar transport operators in similar sized cities in other jurisdictions. We do understand and appreciate that the matter of bus travel in this town is of immense importance to the people of the ACT. There is a lot of talk about it, there is a lot of media speculation and there is a lot of media attention, and it is most appropriate, we believe, that one of the parliament’s standing committees looks into it. However, we would be asking for it not to drag out too long.
We are confident that ACTION is providing a public transport system that is efficient and meets the mass transport needs of Canberrans. There are some people who continually criticise the organisation and mischievously spread false stories. For example, Mrs Dunne claimed that it takes her daughter from 7.40 am to 11.00 am to get to work at Kingston from Fraser. Officers have examined the timetables and, if Mrs Dunne’s daughter catches the 8.30 am service from Fraser, she can be in Kingston at 10.00 in the morning. Those times may not particularly suit Miss Dunne, but 1½ hours is considerably shorter than the period claimed by her mother. It should be noted also that it is ACTION’s charter to provide mass transport options and it is unable to accommodate every individual’s transport needs.
I have no wish to pre-empt the findings of the committee, but there are some things that we know that the committee will find. ACTION’s operations are open and transparent. All information is, and will continue to be, documented in annual reports, including ACTION’s performance against indicators, financial statements and governance. The Canberra Times reporter Mr Graham Downie has requested and has
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