Page 2927 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 14 August 2019
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should consider becoming a bus driver.” I do not think that is good enough and I do not think a lot of Canberrans would appreciate it.
In terms of notification of service failures, obviously, the more notice that Canberrans can receive, the better. In that regard it would be much better if Canberrans know the services that are going to be cancelled on the weekend well in advance; then, if a number of services are in fact reinstated due to bus drivers volunteering at the last minute, those services can be updated again. I really do wonder how many bus drivers are volunteering to work weekend shifts between Wednesday and Saturday morning. I really cannot imagine that there are a large number.
The minister still has not answered the question of how new drivers are actually going to help if shifts remain voluntary and new drivers are still asked whether or not they would like to work weekend shifts. It is not going to solve the problem. As Ms Le Couteur indicated, without any kind of incentives being offered, employing new bus drivers alone is not going to fix this issue.
On Ms Le Couteur’s amendment, I disagree with her statement that it strengthens my motion. It is for that reason that we will not be supporting the amendment today. Ms Le Couteur originally approached me with an amendment which significantly strengthened my motion, but once again she has proven that she is shackled to the Labor Party and she folded on the original amendment.
Ms Le Couteur’s amendment does not actually call on the government to improve notification about cancelled weekend services; it calls on the government simply to examine better ways that they could possibly communicate. I do not think that is strong enough. If she truly cared about fixing this problem and holding the government to account, she would have moved her original amendment.
Amendment agreed to.
Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.
Tuggeranong—public amenity
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (4.18): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes:
(a) that Anketell Street has recently been refurbished;
(b) that there are a number of cafes and restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating areas along Anketell Street; and
(c) the community opposition to buses running along Anketell Street, including a previous petition from Tuggeranong Community Council; and
(2) calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) recognise community opposition to buses along Anketell Street;
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