3 May 2011

Expect big public transport announcements in today's budget.

| johnboy
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The Greens’ Amanda Bresnan has penned a lengthy screed on why the ACT Budget should invest more on public transport when it is released today.

Apparently we want Canberra to be more like Bogota, ready supplies of cheap high quality blow would certainly be appreciated by many Canberrans.

But the intriguing thing is timing.

Treasurer Katy Gallagher was swanning around last week with the budget box set for Canberra Times puff pieces.

So what chance Katy Gallagher’s going to read Amanda’s piece this morning, say “my word, what a compelling argument, let’s pulp the existing budget and get another one done in light of this perspicacious reasoning”?

Somewhat less chance than the Assembly doing a nude limbo rather than listen to the budget speech.

More likely Amanda’s had a sneak peak and there are going to be some big public transport announcements.

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Doesn’t sound to me like she is expecting some big public transport announcement at all; sounds like she is saying the Govt needs to change its attitude and get its act together on public transport.

Amanda Bresnan would be the one who drives a Hyundia converted to electric power. Shame she has no respect for the roadworks speed limits at Glenloch interchange.

No big public transport announcements.. what a surprise..

Does Bresnan have an ACT Govt car? Does she use it? How many of her car rides have been solo?

How often has she caught the bus to work in the last year?

How often has she caught the bus from Civic when she has business in Woden?

If she hasn’t bussed, has she walked or cycled?

Rather important that we know whether she is putting her money where her mouth is …

BicycleCanberra said :

I think she wasn’t saying that Canberra become more like Bogota’ but more like our Chiefly leader would have the political guts like Senor Penalosa’ and deliver a world class public transport system which Penalosa started in just three years as Mayor, as well as 300kms of separated bicycle paths,public parks ,schools and libraries. All this instead of building more roads and elevated highways for the 1 in 5 inhabitants that own cars.
Here we own at least two cars per household, we’ve spent $$250million on roads and car parks this financial year alone and we now are going to half fund the Majura parkway. No wonder we can’t get a pool upgrade for Woden or decent bicycle infrastructure.

Don’t forget the public art!

BicycleCanberra2:53 pm 03 May 11

I think she wasn’t saying that Canberra become more like Bogota’ but more like our Chiefly leader would have the political guts like Senor Penalosa’ and deliver a world class public transport system which Penalosa started in just three years as Mayor, as well as 300kms of separated bicycle paths,public parks ,schools and libraries. All this instead of building more roads and elevated highways for the 1 in 5 inhabitants that own cars.
Here we own at least two cars per household, we’ve spent $$250million on roads and car parks this financial year alone and we now are going to half fund the Majura parkway. No wonder we can’t get a pool upgrade for Woden or decent bicycle infrastructure.

Too much wrong with Ms Bresnan’s vision paper to warrant a detailed comment. To summarise it though:let’s spend lots of taxpayer money on something that we hope will work – after all it would suit our world view.

Amanda Bresnan does well to mention what she knows–i.e. she visited Bogota and spoke to some people. But Bogota has a population of 7M people. Considering that Colombia has a population twice that of Australia, comparison between Bogota and Sydney or Melbourne would be more apt.

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