Page 5149 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 18 November 2009
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However, it should be noted that the Greens agree on one of the ideals of this motion, that there can always be improvement. Unlike Mr Coe and his cohorts, we believe genuine improvement comes from trials of new concepts of public transport. It is telling that the Liberal Party offer only criticism of the Redex service, not substantive suggestions for improvement. Moreover, suggesting that the investment should be redirected into providing what would be approximately two more buses in what they admit in their own motion is an inefficient system is incredibly disingenuous.
Redex services provide a more effective and user-friendly usage of public transport resources. Redex is the first step in developing better solutions. We do not see the $1 million as money wasted. We see it as an effective step forwards. We agree that the government should invest in means to improve bus priority on existing routes to cut travel times. We have urged, and will continue to urge, the government to invest in dedicated public transport infrastructure.
This motion by Mr Coe is indicative of the difference between the role of the ACT Greens and the Liberal Party in this place. We have worked with the government to drive a long-term plan to improve services for the people of Canberra. We have examined concepts to provide for the future of public transport in this city, and we are proud to say that the Greens-Labor agreement was an integral part of this service. Compare this, if you will, to this vindictive motion by Mr Coe. This not only shows the Liberal Party to be unwilling to consider anything other than more roads, more traffic and more cars, but also shows they are unwilling to engage with the genuine problems the community faces. They have no understanding of the strategic network plan and no drive towards a better future. There is nothing but cheap, spiteful, misdirected political point scoring. The ACT Greens balance holding the government to account with working with the government to deliver better outcomes for our community. The Canberra Liberals will simply kick and scream to get a sound bite of criticism for their own petty political goals.
In relation to the particular points in Mr Coe’s motion, yes, the Redex service travels on the same roads as existing services, but, as the first week of Redex has shown, people using this service have experienced savings in travel times. As to point No 5, to date ACTION does not have the data which Mr Coe has listed, so where Mr Coe has managed to get that information from, I do not know. Mr Coe has no proof other than his own speculations that point No 8 is factual. Point No 10 is incorrect, as the point of having frequent services is to stop bus bunching. Point No 11 is bizarre, as we always have dead running buses from buses travelling to and from their starting points and connecting up to services. That is simply a fact. Point No 12 again misses the point entirely, as the point of Redex is to reduce stress on other services and the existing bus network. I seek leave to move the amendments circulated in my name together.
Leave granted.
MS BRESNAN: I move:
(1) paragraph (3), omit (b) and (c); and
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