Page 2490 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 13 August 2014
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MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (4.26): I start my comments today by noting the Canberra Liberals’ ongoing opposition to the construction of light rail from Gungahlin to Civic. My position and the position of the Greens are starkly different. I want to reiterate my support for the Gungahlin to Civic light rail project, for light rail as a smart mode choice for our growing city and for investment in public transport generally. This is an approach that will help forge a path to a more liveable and sustainable city and a city with a stronger community and economy. Light rail is an enduring transport and city planning solution that looks well into the future and at the long-term needs of the city.
The contrast to this approach is a sad one. It is a blinkered attitude that does not worry about the future of our city and the challenges it faces, that has no interest in sustainability or public transport and that is focused on slogans for a 2016 election instead of a genuine long-term vision for Canberra.
What I ascertain from Mr Coe’s arguments, which are based on his concerns about risks and uncertainties, opportunity cost, patronage differences in peak hour and the fact that, in his mind, the project only benefits one geographical area of Canberra, is that the Liberal Party oppose light rail for any other part of Canberra as well. I expect them to articulate this opposition to light rail in areas such as Woden, Tuggeranong and Belconnen when the government releases its light rail master plan shortly.
This opposition highlights the illusion that Mr Coe tries to maintain to his Ginninderra constituents that he supports building light rail from Belconnen to the city, which is clearly not true. The Liberal Party’s arguments similarly apply to such a route. Those would be that light rail to Belconnen is costly and would cost taxpayers, it would interfere with existing buses, it would not serve people in other parts of Canberra, and it would have strong demand into the city in the morning but not as strong out of the city. These are all the arguments we are hearing, and yet we hear Mr Coe and his colleagues flag the idea that a route from Belconnen somehow would be better. I think he is trying to speak to a range of different audiences with a clearly inconsistent position.
The aggressive anti light rail arguments also highlight the illusion that the Liberal Party might want to build bus rapid transit instead of light rail. The majority of criticisms of light rail by the Liberal Party are also applicable to bus rapid transit—expense, disruption to the city, opportunity costs, a supposed lack of patronage et cetera. Despite the convenient ambiguity that the Liberal Party leaves around this topic, I think it is quite clear that if the government had chosen a bus rapid transit project the Liberal Party would also have strongly opposed that. What is most clear in the barrage of criticisms—
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR RATTENBURY: Once again Mr Coe interjects, despite the fact that he was heard in silence.
Mrs Jones interjecting—
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