Opposition Statement: Bligh and Labor to tax motorists off roads

[ozbob]

http://www.fionasimpson.com.au/Pages/Article.aspx?ID=656

Bligh and Labor to tax motorists off roads

Wednesday, 24 February 2010

The Bligh Labor Government has confirmed it drafted a proposal to introduce a congestion tax in the Brisbane CBD.

State Opposition and LNP Leader John-Paul Langbroek said Queenslanders could not trust the Minister for Transport when she said the congestion tax was not in the government's plan.

"This is the same Minister who said 'Queensland Rail is not for sale' just days before Labor announced it would be sold as a key part of Bligh's privatisation agenda," Mr Langbroek said.

"What we do know is that a congestion charge proposal is outlined in the report Connecting SEQ 2031 – An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for SEQ and that it is the only option that comes close to meeting the reduction of 300,000 cars a day target."

Mr Langbroek said a congestion charge would cost Queenslanders their jobs as businesses were hit with yet another tax from the cash-strapped Bligh Labor Government.

"Already Queensland motorists and businesses have been slugged with the fuel tax and higher car registration fees," he said.

"We know that more expensive drivers licences are next and now it appears businesses will have to pay 30c a kilometre to drive on Brisbane roads.

"For a Government that claims to be committed to creating jobs, Bligh and Labor are doing their best to tax Queenslanders out of one."

LNP Spokeswoman for Transport Fiona Simpson said the Bligh Labor Government's all stick and no carrot approach would punish Queenslanders not cut congestion in the city.

"The bungled roll-out of go cards showed that Bligh and Labor are happy to penalise Queenslanders while it struggles to provide necessary infrastructure and services," Ms Simpson said.

"Can this government guarantee that the public transport system could cope with the extra demand — will the Minister ensure that there are reliable bus and rail services for all commuters taxed out of their vehicles?

Ms Simpson said instead of committing to moving people, Bligh and Labor had repeatedly announced projects and repeatedly delayed others.

"Five times Labor has announced the rail network plans to fix congestion, but we are still waiting for a feasibility study.

"In the meantime this government has delayed two busway projects and two rail lines by years.

"Queenslanders are tired of paying for this Government's mismanagement — they are tired of Bligh and Labor's lies and excuses — what they want is a public transport and road system that works."

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Parliament Hansard Question without notice

Traffic Management

Ms SIMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Transport. I refer to Connecting SEQ 2031 and transport department planning documents which propose a 30c per kilometre Brisbane congestion tax. Why does the plan assume that in Brisbane by 2031 the number of car trips will decrease from 2.7 million trips a day to 2.4 million? What would cause such a decrease if Labor had not already secretly committed to imposing a congestion tax on motorists?

Ms NOLAN: It is governments that make decisions, it is members of the cabinet who set the direction, and this government will not introduce a congestion charge. What this government will do is build better public transport and a better road network in South-East Queensland and right across the state. That is what we are doing right now. There are workers right now who are building a better public transport network. Do you know why they are doing it, Mr Speaker? They are doing it because this government has decided that that is our priority and this government has funded that infrastructure which creates those jobs which makes for a better quality of life for these people who live in this state right now. That is the decision that this government has made.

Where would we be if the LNP had fallen over the line at the last election? I can tell you where we would be, Mr Speaker. There would be some sort of chaos about how exactly it is that you construct a railway line on the Sunshine Coast that does not join up with the broader network. We would have got past the election and all the people who live around Redcliffe would have realised that, when the member for Maroochydore went up there in the first week of the last election campaign and promised them that she would deliver the much vaunted Redcliffe railway line, she did not mean it. With an asterisk and in small print she meant, 'Maybe only if things go okay with the global financial crisis', 'Subject to the global financial crisis.' That is where we would be.

This government makes the decisions. Our decision is to build a better public transport network. We make tough economic decisions in order to keep doing that, and this stands in very stark contrast to those opposite whose only economic plan was to cut services and jobs, and whose transport plan in many respects did not even join up.

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/hansard/documents/2010.pdf/2010_02_24_Qtime.pdf

[Nightwriter]

Our decision is to build a better public transport network.*

* But only after we pump many more billions into the road network.

[Jon Bryant]

Love it Nightwriter... Should add "and the wonder why everyone drives but congratulate ourselves on how well we predicted only a slight growth in PT."

[Jon Bryant]

Watched the news and behaviour of both sides.  Neither has a clue.  Protesting a congestion tax despite London benefiting over and over from theirs.  Welcome to Red Neck Politics.  I hope a Congestion tax is introduced...more money to invest in public and active transport.  

[O_128]

Its a bit rich for Rachel Nolan to be talking about the redcliffe line and a "better transport system". her government has had a decade and nothing has come of it.

[#Metro]

I'm sorry, is this the same government responsible for:

* GoCard late by 4 years
* GoCard with errors all over it, readers that don't beep or flash
* No fare capping
* 30 minute frequency (Even Perth does far better on less $ and lower density)
* Bottom of our region for Liveability in our city (even Adelaide ranked better- Adelaide! Well the do have light rail and O-Bahn)
* Railway service riddled with signal faults and track failures
* Administration which is effectively fining itself after it has had discussions with itself and decided to contract itself to itself subject to oversight by itself. (This has to go into the Guinness Book of Records)

*Lots of excellent public transport plans (they are late- ICRCS proposed circa 1970, Busway-like service proposed circa 1965).
but unfunded (no funding? low chance of funding?).

It is all very well and easy to criticise the LNP for their hypothetical non-transport plans. But the fact is the current administration has both the power of government to do something and the control over the funding to make it happen at its disposal for a very long time- something not granted to the opposition or any other party, so IMHO they may be excused...

[somebody]

* GoCard late by 4 years
...
If the sign at the border didn't say "Welcome to Queensland" I'd have thought I was in NSW!

Was it really that late?

Umm, what's with the shot at NSW?

[ozbob]

Yes, was a bit late ..

http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=20082

Transport/Main Roads
The Honourable Stephen Bredhauer

Thursday, June 05, 2003

New agency to introduce integrated ticketing

A new agency within Queensland Transport - TransLink - will steer the way forward for smartcard integrated ticketing in South East Queensland, Transport and Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer said today.

In announcing TransLink's $21.4 million State budget allocation, Mr Bredhauer said the agency would introduce and coordinate the integrated public transport system, in partnership with the Brisbane City Council, private operators and Queensland Rail.

He said smartcard technology would be progressively introduced from mid-2004 to cover the new fares and zones, as initial paper-based products were phased out.

He said a preferred tenderer to develop the smartcard technology had been selected, and negotiations were ongoing.

Mr Bredhauer said: "Contract negotiations with public transport operators in South East Queensland are also well underway.

"TransLink's integrated ticketing will reduce the complexity of the public transport system and blur the lines between operators by introducing common fares, zones, concessions and ticket types.

"Under the new system, passengers will be able to travel by bus, train and Brisbane City Council ferry using just one ticket regardless of the service used, or the combination of services used.

"The new system will be based on a zonal structure that extends from Noosa to Coolangatta and west to Helidon."

Queensland is quickly establishing world-class public transport infrastructure and services, through projects such as integrated ticketing and the South East Busway.

Mr Bredhauer said overwhelming enthusiasm for Busway services proved that if good public transport infrastructure was provided, then people would choose those services over the private car.

"The Queensland Government is committed to providing infrastructure and services which will improve public transport, encourage patronage and save our environment," he said.

"The introduction of an effective and efficient integrated ticketing system is vital in realising that commitment."
5 June 2003

[somebody]

I thought TL Mk 1 was formed in 2004!  Still, I don't really think that one year to implement from the announcement of the formation of TL was ever going to happen.

Perth's was also delayed by 2 years.

[dwb]

Bligh and Labor to tax motorists off roads

Well at least if they tax the commuters and mum's driving their kids to school off the road they'll have both some money to pump into PT and the roads will be emptier for money making commercial enterprise. Actually it is neoliberal user pays philosophy. I would have thought the libs would understand that, and the fact it would probably be good for business. Isn't that what happened in London?