Page 2749 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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So far, this Assembly has been different. I think this is because Mr Coe and the Liberals heard the community’s message that they do not want another term like the last one. There have also been other encouraging signs that we might be seeing a tripartisan shift towards evidence-based transport policy that is less about building roads and more about providing better sustainable options.
The Liberals could have gone to the last election with a policy of no light rail and shut down public transport. Certainly that was Tony Abbott’s position. However, they went to the election with a transport policy which included a considerable expansion of the bus network. That was actually quite good. It was not as good as the Greens one, of course, but it was a vast improvement on what it could have been and what it has been in the past.
Maybe I should at this point talk about the amendment which Mr Coe did not move. As he said, we indicated that we were not going to support it. Basically, the reasons we were not going to support it are because at this stage the government simply has not got the information that Mr Coe is calling upon.
Mr Hanson: I thought you were evidence-based, Caroline.
MS LE COUTEUR: Mr Hanson, it is very hard to speak with you interjecting all the time. I have total sympathy for the Liberal Party in asking for this information. As I have discussed with the minister for transport on more than one occasion, I think the Canberra community needs to be provided with as much information as possible.
Apart from anything else, this is needed for meaningful public consultation. There is no point asking people what they would like or dislike if they do not know enough to make a choice. I do have great sympathy for Mr Coe’s non-amendment. However, I think that unfortunately the situation is this, and in effect to some extent Mr Coe highlighted this in his discussion about the decisions that have to be made: the government unfortunately is not in a position to make this level of analysis. It is going to be a 20-year project. I agree that more information would be positive. I am hopeful that more information will be coming forth from the government on this.
Moving away from the amendment that was not moved, I would like to highlight a few things that the government is doing, often on the basis of a Greens initiative, for a more sustainable Canberra and in particular more sustainable transport for Canberra. Bus route 182, the Weston line, is one that the Greens are very happy with. As a local member, I am particularly happy about it, because people in Weston Creek have been complaining for many years that the only way to the city was via Woden town centre. They were complaining back in the Seventh Assembly. It is good that it took only until the end of the Eighth Assembly for this to be changed. I am very pleased there is now a direct service all day on weekdays. I hope that soon it will start running on the weekends and that the frequency will increase soon so that it is a rapid service, not just a 30 minute service.
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