Simon Corbell email interview

Why has the Belconnen-Civic run been identified as the part of the intertown bus route that needs a dedicated busway?

I have always found the buses run pretty much on time between these two interchanges, even in peak hours, but between Civic and Woden, especially in the morning, they nearly almost run quite late.

simon,
as a dual-headed approach, why would you not advocate setting up “3-for-free” parking at brindabella park.
I notice such facilties are available in the city, but not out here.
The reason given thus far by the Airport group is “parking is already cheaper”
Its not about making parking cheaper, or free, but alleviating the stresses of traveling on a clogged road, that should be duplicated, as well as decreasing emissions and causing less harm to teh environment.

I’m sure there would be plenty of people who would be glad to releive the stress and travel 3 or more in a car to Brindabella, thus reducing the peak hour difficulties around Pialligo.
Do you envisage the ACT government working together with Canberra Airport Group to make such a scheme work ?

Simon are you answering these questions or have you delegated this to one of the flunkies on staff ?
Who writes the speeches you (Assembly members)give in the Assembly ?

The reason I ask is that Mary Porter made a wonderfully eloquent speech (its in hansard) in support of the sustainable transport plan with all sorts of interesting facts figures and phrases, yet when I asked her some questions about it in person she barely knew what it was.

My mate Anil Joy learnt to look after himself pretty quick smart.

Talking about Olive Pink, I looked up the electoral roll and there is a guy called Bruce Pink….bet he got a good ribbing through school…LOL

Simon,

How are your feelings at this present time ?

Simon

Community Planning Forum(a) were due to replace LAPACs on 1/7/03. This was an election promise!
Has ACPLA pulled the plug on providing community access to meetings on proposed changes within their suburbs? Greater transparency in planning does have a risk of being critised, but don’t we have a right to know what is happening.

My personal Favorite street is Pandanus, i see it as Panda anus

Simon – why the hell is there a street in banks named Olive Pink Street… that is the worst name ever for a street… I know that she was some aboriginal/womans rights activist… but these things should really be screened before given street names… say it aloud.. its stupid… name something else more relevant after her like a building… The Olive Pink Building (and maybe for a spot or irony you paint the building public service grey)….

Simon as a politician and a planning dude, what character would you recommend for new AD&D campaign and would you be interested in Participating…

Seriously though how do you deal with the pressures of having to balance what the people of Canberra want compared to the businesses and future businesses of Canberra, are you finding it difficult to keep all parties happy in the ever expanding city of ours. Also what future growth to you predict with the CBD, will we keep loosing government permit parking lots to make way for more buildings?

Simon, what goes on in your head?

Simon, why are you so against development at Canberra Airport, to the point that you appear to be openly undermining the facility.

Have you ever visited airports in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide etc and witnessed the vibrant business precincts that surround these airports.

I recognise the value of the bus lane along Flemington Road, but remember a couple of months back when the roadworks were started that the lane was also marked T2 Transit Lane – intelligent planning I assumed that would remain, which allowed vehicles with 2 or more occupants to use the lane (not just buses, taxi’s and motorbikes).

Now Flemington road is opened and fully functioning, why were these T2 signs removed to funnel all normal traffic back into a single lane rather than rewarding car-poolers and the like?

why does the act govt steadfastly oppose light rail as a mass transit option ? didnt the public transport future feasability study rate light rail as a better solution for canberra than buses ? why did the sustainable transport plan then flip flop and recommend more buses ? how many more buses do you expect would be required if trips taken on public transport went from its current low figure to your optimistic projection of 16% ? why do you always pitch the argument as bus v light rail and not buses and light rail ?

why doesn’t Terry (George?) Snow ‘gift’ a duplication of pialligo road, instead of a useless gift of the god damn roundabouts in the middle of nowhere (notably, the extension of a road to nowhere at the qbn end of brindabella park i can see from my window here.)

Simon,

In your inaugural sppech on 18 February 1997, you said:

“Over the past months since my election I have been acutely aware of the expectations that rest upon me to truly represent the interests and concerns of people living in the Molonglo electorate. I am grateful already for the very positive support I have received from a wide range of community groups and individuals across Canberra, and I am looking forward to building and strengthening the valuable contacts I have already made.”

Why is it that, since then, you have turned into the most anti-resident, pro-development Minister we have ever had in the ACT? Why is it that you have now frozen those community groups who so enthusiastically supported you in your early days, out of any say that they may have in the future planning of the ACT?

Simon, during your time in Opposition, you were highly critical of the occasional use of the call-in powers by Brendan Smyth. Can you tell us:

1. How many times the Libs used those powers.
2. How many times you’ve used them, and for which projects.
3. What has changed between the time the Libs were in, and now, to justify your regular use of powers that were only ever intended for exceptional circumstances.

… which is fair enough, given that planning within the Airport precinct is under Federal, not Territory, control. The “you break it, you bought it” policy in effect?

Ferret, the Canberra Times had a story today (not that it’s made it online) that the ACT Government has asked the Federal Government for money to fix this very problem. Nice question though.

Simon

Now that the formerly free flowing Canberra road system has now become a daily morning car park on:

a) Majura Lane going south
b) Monaro Highway going north
c) Piallago Avenue/Morshead Drive both ways

is it about time that you and your government realise that some proper money will need to be spent extending to two lanes the Monaro Hwy right through to the Federal Highway, duplicating Piallago Road from Fairbairn RAAF base through to ADFA (including a flyover for the Monaro Highway), and possibly accepting that allowing office space for 10000 workers (and 5000 more shoppers come July) without improving access in any way to the Canberra Airport precinct is a complete planning disaster?

Simon, why did you go back on your initial undertaking to redevelop the Bunda St side of Civic in two stages, and redevelop it in one hit?

Were you not aware that it would have an adverse effect on business?

Simon, could you please remind me why I worked so bloody hard during the last campaign, missing time with my daughter and having a life, to get your government elected?

FYI Clay Just beat Shit on Google Fight

I think we should start a Campaign for the Shit Vs Clay question 🙂

Seepi:
I dont think he has lived here for close on 4-5 years… unless he has moved back in…

Now that you have changed rural leases from 99 years to 20 years, are you intending to do the same for residential leases?

Simon, as a Gunghalin resident, do you worry that the small street through the main shopping centre will be too small once the shops are fully functional and filled with people?

Are you continuing to persue mass-transit options between Belconnen and Civic such as the high-speed busway, or are you looking at further options such as a rail network ? (or have you dropped the idea altogether) ?

How do you propose that people will enter the civic area of Canberra to shop at a time when the avaliability of carparking is at an all-time low, especially given the rate of development over carparks for new shopping areas ?

Do you continue to believe that people will en-mass change to busses ?

Under the westminster system, at what point of incapacity do you think a minister should resign?