Page 1689 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Unlike the Labor Party, the Canberra Liberals will listen to what the independent analysts have to say when it comes to light rail. Unlike the Labor Party, we will not necessarily take all the advice spruiked by lobby groups. I think this is an appropriate time to remind the Assembly of just what the independent analysts have had to say about light rail.
Let us start with the statutory, non-partisan commonwealth government organisation Infrastructure Australia. The organisation was established by the Labor government in 2008, by Kevin Rudd, and its primary function was the provision of advice to commonwealth, state and territory governments about the future needs and priorities relating to nationally significant infrastructure. When Infrastructure Australia had a look at the ACT government’s proposal for light rail, what did they say? They said:
The case for favouring light rail over Bus Rapid Transit has not been strongly made, especially when the submission itself points to the stronger economic performance of a bus rapid transit option.
That is what the commonwealth Labor government told this Labor government. The commonwealth Labor government told the territory Labor government that they had not made the case.
It is interesting that Ms Fitzharris should mention Labor Party policy. The Labor Party policy also states that they will seek $15 million, half of their election commitment, from the commonwealth. The commonwealth said no. The commonwealth did not agree to going halves on the research, did not agree to going halves on the engineering study, let alone funding a $783 million project or $614 million as it was purported to cost back then.
The submission referred to by Infrastructure Australia was the ACT government’s 2012 submission relating to public transport options for the city to Gungahlin. As we all know, the report showed that investment in bus rapid transit produced almost double the benefits of a light rail system. I remind members opposite that the report completed by the ACT government under the auspices of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate said:
Of the transport options, Bus Rapid Transit is projected to deliver higher economic returns.
This is the ACT government report in 2012:
… Bus Rapid Transit is projected to deliver higher economic returns.
The ACT government report goes on:
On the other hand, the economic returns that can be delivered through Light Rail investment alone are likely to be economically marginal and the net economic outcome for Light Rail under even minor adverse circumstances is likely to result in negative economic returns.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video