Page 3370 - Week 09 - Thursday, 22 August 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Outer suburban bus network
Discussion of matter of public importance
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Cody): Madam Speaker has received letters from Miss C Burch, Ms Cheyne, Ms Cody, Mr Coe, Mr Gupta, Mrs Kikkert, Ms Le Couteur, Mr Milligan, Ms Orr, Mr Parton and Mr Pettersson proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Madam Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Mr Parton be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of a well-connected and practical bus network for Canberra’s outer suburban areas.
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (3.03): We have some pretty radical ideas over here on the Liberal side of affairs. Madam Assistant Speaker, I must share one of them with you now, particularly with my propensity for loose words. We have this crazy idea that during the debate on matters of public importance we should actually discuss matters that are important to people. That is what we are doing today.
Madam Assistant Speaker, I know that you and all of your Labor colleagues are aware of how much time I spend knocking on doors in Tuggeranong. I can tell you that, based on dozens and dozens of conversations that I have had in recent weeks, this is genuinely a matter of vast importance to a large number of people in the south. I dare say that my colleagues Mrs Kikkert and Mrs Dunne have heard this in Belconnen and that Mr Milligan and Mr Coe have encountered similar stories in outer Gungahlin.
The people in outlying suburbs have been let down by this government in many ways, but they are absolutely ropeable over the disdain that has been shown to them in regard to the bus network changes. They are absolutely ropeable. Bus connections in Tuggeranong have been decimated. It is not taking it a step too far to say that lives have been changed. Lives have genuinely been changed. Some people now find themselves confined to their home because it is too difficult to get out. People have been left stranded.
It is difficult to believe that these changes have been made by a Labor government. I know what we will hear from the other side. Let’s hope that we do not hear from Mr Gentleman; I am sure that if we do hear from Mr Gentleman, we will probably have Mr Abbott on a bus somewhere. I know that we will hear from Mr Gentleman and others who are already panicking about the prospect of us winning government in 2020. We will hear from those opposite that we are evil Liberals and we will make cuts, cuts and more cuts, that we will probably privatise public transport.
Is it not ludicrous that these suggestions have been made particularly by Mr Gentleman, a fellow Brindabella MLA, who so far has shown that he has no intention whatsoever of standing up for his own electorate in regard to bus services. He read out his list of achievements for the Brindabella preselectors for Labor, but that list of achievements did not mention standing up for his own electorate in regard to bus services. Mr Gentleman would do well to listen to the people of Tuggeranong.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video