Page 2294 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 12 August 2014
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“being adult”. It is important, and you should treat it as such. Light rail is the future, and you only have to look anywhere around the world to see that cities are moving back to this type of transport. If you are going to use this as an election wedge then it is appalling. Canberra demands better. Parking costs alone are going to drive down driving to work by car. That is not pandering to myths and falsehoods in respect to light rail. Buses are not the answer—
the constituent says—
so stop claiming that a better bus network is the answer. In reality, commuters do not like buses, but they will switch to trams.
He goes on to say:
Cities don’t have to have huge populations to have a light rail network. I could point to Basel in Switzerland with a city population of 150,000 and 250,000 in the surrounding region, very like Canberra. They have a very effective light rail network with buses providing the feeder services. My wife has family in the Besancon area in France, and the city, not unlike the size of Canberra, is about to inaugurate a new light rail system. They all had the same complaints and letters to the editor that feature almost daily in the Canberra Times, but it is now built and it is fantastic.
The constituent concludes:
It is about time that you—
that is, Mr Hanson—
got in step here and you should take a leaf out of your state Liberal colleagues in New South Wales.
He goes on to quote the state Liberal colleagues. Ms Berejiklian, the New South Wales transport minister, said:
… for too long Newcastle has been hamstrung by indecision, and local residents and businesses have been let down by political lip-service …
“Light rail is a popular mode of transport around the world because it is modern, reliable and boosts urban renewal and economic development,” she said.
“Light rail is being expanded in Sydney and around the world—why should the Hunter expect any less?
“This Government is getting on with the job of delivering real improvements and results for the people of the Hunter.”
The constituent concludes, in his correspondence to Mr Hanson, by saying:
And to this I add: why should Canberra expect any less?
Indeed; and this government is committed to delivering that for Canberrans.
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