Page 3116 - Week 10 - Thursday, 18 October 2007
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community reckon they need. I was talking to the network designer just the other day, and he congratulated the government on the actual data that it provided him for his work. That designer congratulated the government, therefore, on the collection of that data.
How did we do it? We went out publicly; we had websites; we talked to the bus drivers; we had onboard surveys. Of course, added to that was the information that was gleaned through the committee. So we thank very much the committee for the work that they did so that we could actually have a much greater grip on the issue when we go to the network designer.
I was curious to know whether or not—I know Mr Seselja sat on the committee and put in a dissenting report—Mr Pratt attended the public hearings. I wonder: did he put in a submission? For example, did the Liberal Party put in a written submission? I do not think so.
Mr Pratt: We attended, Mr Speaker.
Mr Stefaniak: Did you?
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition asked me: did I? Ours is in the form of the government response. There is a government submission to every inquiry. So the short answer to the Leader of the Opposition’s question is yes. The long answer is that I am surprised he did not know that. He has been a minister in this place before and he would know, one would expect—or should know—how the machinery of government functions. I do not know whether he really does. It may be something so far in the distant past that he is going to need some considerable refreshment.
Mr Pratt talks about this—he slags it off. On the one hand, he says, “Bike racks on buses; great idea.” On the other hand, he belts them. I do not know sometimes whether he is coming or going—certainly not on one of our buses. This government is committed to a range of public transport initiatives. I have to tell you—and as I said on radio this morning—the provision we are having for cyclists, in my view, is very, very innovative. It may not be leading the country, but it is not far behind.
My colleague Mr Corbell, as minister in the 2001-04 period, introduced on-road cycle lanes. Is that a sustainable transport plan initiative? Yes, it is. He introduced bike racks on buses. Is that a sustainable transport initiative? Yes, it is. Do we introduce CNG gases into buses? Yes. Here stood Mr Pratt, saying “Where is this business about clean engines?” Where is it? CNG buses. That is where it is. Then, again, we talked about T2 lanes. Is having T2 lanes a sustainable transport initiative? Yes, it is. Did the committee look at the sustainable transport plan in the context of ACTION? Yes, it did.
The issue confronting the Assembly is: what is the government going to do about it? Mr Pratt has no right to criticise the work of the committee and say it did not address this or did not address that or did not address something else if he did not put in a submission asking them to do it. He can stand up here, with all the substance of a bucket of popcorn, and it will not make the slightest bit of difference to policy
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