Page 3115 - Week 10 - Thursday, 18 October 2007
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I do not see in this report any substantial observations or comments made about alternative clean energy options, clean energy engine technologies. Why has this report not looked down the track and identified the options available around this world in other mass transport systems which, in the long term at least, they could be encouraging the government to take up? There is no mention of that.
In paragraph 5.63, there is mention of the free bike scheme. Well done—beautiful—but we now know that across our city and the town centres we do not have bike racks. So again this integration, the levels—
Mr Hargreaves: You don’t need any; you’ve got two flat tyres.
MR PRATT: That is true. You have only got one, I gather. But, again, we do not see this integrated approach to identifying transport in this town.
The greatest criticism that I have of this report is that this report again hammers the car driver—the punitive approach. I am very pleased to see that my colleague Mr Seselja, in his dissenting report, focuses on this; that this report focuses too much on the car driver, on parking regimes, instead of the more creative aspects of transport. Mr Speaker, this report is short on providing the substantial issues that need to be addressed.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella—Minister for the Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Housing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (11.45): I thank Mr Pratt for his emotional commitment to, of all things, public transport. It is quite obvious, by the volunteered declaration on ABC radio this morning that his bike has two flat tyres, that he regrets having the air taken out of his argument.
I congratulate Mr Pratt on identifying, for the purposes of the next ACT election, in the context of public transport, that he has now promised to put bike racks around every town centre in the ACT. So now I will assume, for the sake of the argument, that, since he criticised us for putting 100 into Civic, he is now going to put 100 around all of the other town centres; and we will have to cost that now and put that on top of the bill. So I applaud this initiative on the part of the opposition to put in these bike racks. There will be, Mr Gentleman—what?—a bike rack at the bottom of every driveway, at least where the policeman can park his bike.
Members interjecting—
Mr Pratt: What about your bike racks at Mac House, mate? Transfer those.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Pratt, please! Order, everybody! Mr Hargreaves, direct your comments through the chair and remain relevant, please. It is very hard.
MR HARGREAVES: I will always remain relevant, unlike those opposite, Mr Speaker, and I thank you for the encouragement.
Coming to the report, I actually welcome the input of the committee because we are trying to redesign the bus services in the ACT in accordance with what the
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