Page 974 - Week 03 - Thursday, 19 March 2015
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I admit that when you consult with people you get conflicting results. There is a suggestion that there needs to be some sort of adjustment to the intersection of Copland Drive and Verbrugghen Street. There are three options: some minor improvement to the intersection, a roundabout or traffic lights. I can tell you, Madam Assistant Speaker, that basically the community is divided equally as to which of those would be desirable.
From time to time decision-makers have to make decisions, but in doing so the constituents’ views need to be respected. If proposals are being put forward which are not supported by constituents, it means that people in the street are saying, “This is not the problem that we need to address in our street; you aren’t addressing the problem that we see in our street.” If the whole process involves putting in expensive and often disastrous traffic cushions, and if having consultation means that people come away feeling so embittered and disrespected by the consultation that their first recourse is to write to their local member to complain about it, it means there is something wrong with the consultation.
I have raised these matters with the minister concerned. I hope the reports I get back from today’s and Saturday’s consultation will show an improvement in the demeanour of those conducting the consultation and a greater openness to the views of my constituents, the residents of Evatt, Melba and Spence, about the issues relating to Copland Drive.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 4.43 pm until Tuesday, 24 March 2015, at 10 am.
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