4 Mar 2012: SEQ: Campbell Newman and the LNP fail to deliver ...

[ozbob]

Media release 4 March 2012

SEQ: Campbell Newman and the LNP fail to deliver an integrated transport plan for SEQ

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org), a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers, wants clarity and commitment from both major political parties in tackling south east Queensland's transport woes.  In his election campaign launch today, Campbell Newman missed an opportunity to reveal his party's public transport plan, indeed, if there is one.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Mr Newman's plans for public transport – the little he has revealed – seems out of kilter with his party's campaign slogan, which, ironically, is to put Queensland 'back on track'."

"At the LNP campaign launch today Mr Newman continued his assertion that he is big on planning for infrastructure, but is he ever going to get around to delivering other than a few items in key electorates?  He continued his road-centric approach to transport by announcing $1 billion for the Bruce Highway, but no new money for public transport."

"Providing transport infrastructure based on need and worthy outcomes, in the eyes of the LNP, seems to have been replaced by chasing votes.  This perception is reinforced by not having an overarching public transport plan on the table."

"When will we see one from the LNP?"

"We wouldn't mind so much if Mr Newman had a visionary transport plan instead of an isolated series of ad-hoc ideas, some good in themselves, but which seem disconnected from any wider transport agenda."

"While Mr Newman is big on car tunnels – the Clem 7 and TransApex road plans being stand-out projects he supports – he is less enthusiastic about the $7 billion Cross River Rail (CRR) project that will put trains in tunnels beneath the Brisbane River and significantly improve the capacity the rail system across south east Queensland.  The existing rail network will be at capacity in 2016.  LNP announcements to date merely push back the crisis by a further two years at best."

"This is not an indication of good planning, but of indecision about what to do."

"It also seems that Mr Newman can't offer an integrated transport plan for SEQ.  He merely proffers a series of slogans, of which the following are examples:

·        The LNP believes delivering infrastructure to drive economic growth and deliver services should be a primary policy objective of our State Government.

·        The LNP is committed to getting Queensland back on track in economic performance, social development and infrastructure investment and will have a real plan for our state's future.

·        We will share the proceeds of the mining boom to build roads and provide critical local infrastructure.

"Talk's cheap.  Where is the evidence of these words being converted into a costed series of infrastructure initiatives for SEQ?"

"Ironically, the LNP's announced public transport initiatives are aimed more at dislodging Labor voters than at keeping LNP supporters.  For instance, Rail Back On Track sees the duplication of the Sunshine Coast Line as the most important public transport project after Cross River Rail.

"The LNP is silent on the Sunshine Coast line though it is an integral part of a string of LNP electorates on the Sunshine Coast.  All last year, local LNP members there were busy organising petitions and staging protests in favour of an immediate start on dual tracks north of Beerburrum to Nambour."

"Rail Back On Track applauds the LNP plan for a trial of 15-minute train services off-peak on the Ferny Grove Line, but notes the line passes through the Labor-held seats of Ashgrove, Stafford and Ferny Grove.  Plans to build road overpasses of the railway line at Brackenridge and Geebung are directed at winning the Labor electorates of Aspley, Nudgee and Sandgate."

"Could it be that Mr Newman sees CRR in simplistic terms as a lavish gift to the Premier's own electorate of South Brisbane?  Mr Newman strongly supported Cross River Rail, that is until he resigned as Lord Mayor of Brisbane."

"Rail Back On Track wants the politics taken out of the debate when it comes to the provision of public transport infrastructure in Queensland.  Currently, the LNP policy harks back to the days of tricky politics during the Bjelke-Petersen reign of conservative government.  It is not a good look for the LNP."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[SurfRail]

I think it is important to express our disappointment quite as equally with the ALP, especially re the Sunshine Coast and on funding things like the Park Ridge Connector before public transport.

[ozbob]

I think it is important to express our disappointment quite as equally with the ALP, especially re the Sunshine Coast and on funding things like the Park Ridge Connector before public transport.

We have, many times ...  it was the LNPs turn today, an opportunity wasted.

[Stillwater]

I expect that RailBOT will critique the ALP launch when it is held.  We are three weeks away from the election and we should be seeing some substantial policies by now, not just more of the slogans ... we will do it better, etc.

[ozbob]

LNP have walked into a big political trap.  It does reflect their poor performance as an opposition  (and their gloating overconfidence, policy? Trust us, we have 4 pillars). They are just not shrewd politically.

They have come out with nothing much. Others might now outline precisely real policy initiatives over the top of LNP. 

And not only the ALP, but KAP and Greens.  They  have all been  ... marking time .. until now.

[SurfRail]

They want government for government's sake, and have determined that they do not need to develop effective policies in order to achieve that end - because they believe they will have popular support sufficient to romp it in regardless.

Gone are the days when people sought public office to actually achieve something useful.

[somebody]

They want government for government's sake, and have determined that they do not need to develop effective policies in order to achieve that end - because they believe they will have popular support sufficient to romp it in regardless.

Gone are the days when people sought public office to actually achieve something useful.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The LNP lost the election last time around by saying (stupid) things, as did the Libs in NSW in 2007.  It may be that they are better off on this strategy.

[Jonno]

LNP 1 billion Bruce Highway funding is effectively a policy that support increased road deaths.  

[ozbob]

Interesting Editorial from the Couriermail 5th March 2012 page 20
Seems others have the same concerns as detailed in the above media release ...

Unspoken issue shows Newman has blind spot

[ar_howard]

Have a listen to Campbell Newman's response regarding Cross River Rail on this ABC 612 interview this morning.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2012/03/campbell-newman-in-studio.html?site=brisbane&program=612_morning

[Golliwog]

So basically what he seems to be saying there is that the business case that has been completed and checked by private companies is crap? That's the vibe I got from him saying they don't believe it will deliver value for money.

He also mentioned the Toowoomba bypass being a big priority for him. Assuming he means the road one, but last I heard that is still being looked at because the existing plan was stupidly expensive and provided very little benefit.

[somebody]

Having used the Twba range, I'm not sure what could be done there.  A greater frequency of emergency ramps, maybe, but otherwise any solution is going to be ridiculously expensive and deliver very little benefit.  It's already 4 lanes the whole way and not really congested when I have been on it.  Slow trucks are a hazard, but what do you expect?

[Gazza]

LNP 1 billion Bruce Highway funding is effectively a policy that support increased road deaths.  

Really?

I'm all for PT and rail, but dismissing any driving/road transport as running the gauntlet and risking your life is a bit OTT....How do you explain the high quality road networks in rail heavy countries like Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland etc?

[SurfRail]

LNP 1 billion Bruce Highway funding is effectively a policy that support increased road deaths.  

Really?

I'm all for PT and rail, but dismissing any driving/road transport as running the gauntlet and risking your life is a bit OTT....How do you explain the high quality road networks in rail heavy countries like Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland etc?

They are a lot smaller for a start.

[ozbob]

Media release 4 March 2012 re-released 6 March 2012

SEQ: Campbell Newman and the LNP fail to deliver an integrated transport plan for SEQ

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org), a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers, wants clarity and commitment from both major political parties in tackling south east Queensland's transport woes.  In his election campaign launch today, Campbell Newman missed an opportunity to reveal his party's public transport plan, indeed, if there is one.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Mr Newman's plans for public transport – the little he has revealed – seems out of kilter with his party's campaign slogan, which, ironically, is to put Queensland 'back on track'."

"At the LNP campaign launch today Mr Newman continued his assertion that he is big on planning for infrastructure, but is he ever going to get around to delivering other than a few items in key electorates?  He continued his road-centric approach to transport by announcing $1 billion for the Bruce Highway, but no new money for public transport."

"Providing transport infrastructure based on need and worthy outcomes, in the eyes of the LNP, seems to have been replaced by chasing votes.  This perception is reinforced by not having an overarching public transport plan on the table."

"When will we see one from the LNP?"

"We wouldn't mind so much if Mr Newman had a visionary transport plan instead of an isolated series of ad-hoc ideas, some good in themselves, but which seem disconnected from any wider transport agenda."

"While Mr Newman is big on car tunnels – the Clem 7 and TransApex road plans being stand-out projects he supports – he is less enthusiastic about the $7 billion Cross River Rail (CRR) project that will put trains in tunnels beneath the Brisbane River and significantly improve the capacity the rail system across south east Queensland.  The existing rail network will be at capacity in 2016.  LNP announcements to date merely push back the crisis by a further two years at best."

"This is not an indication of good planning, but of indecision about what to do."

"It also seems that Mr Newman can't offer an integrated transport plan for SEQ.  He merely proffers a series of slogans, of which the following are examples:

·        The LNP believes delivering infrastructure to drive economic growth and deliver services should be a primary policy objective of our State Government.

·        The LNP is committed to getting Queensland back on track in economic performance, social development and infrastructure investment and will have a real plan for our state's future.

·        We will share the proceeds of the mining boom to build roads and provide critical local infrastructure.

"Talk's cheap.  Where is the evidence of these words being converted into a costed series of infrastructure initiatives for SEQ?"

"Ironically, the LNP's announced public transport initiatives are aimed more at dislodging Labor voters than at keeping LNP supporters.  For instance, Rail Back On Track sees the duplication of the Sunshine Coast Line as the most important public transport project after Cross River Rail.

"The LNP is silent on the Sunshine Coast line though it is and integral part a string of LNP electorates on the Sunshine Coast.  All last year, local LNP members there were busy organising petitions and staging protests in favour of an immediate start on dual tracks north of Beerburrum to Nambour."

"Rail Back On Track applauds the LNP plan for a trial of 15-minute train services off-peak on the Ferny Grove Line, but notes the line passes through the Labor-held seats of Ashgrove, Stafford and Ferny Grove.  Plans to build road overpasses of the railway line at Brackenridge and Geebung are directed at winning the Labor electorates of Aspley, Nudgee and Sandgate."

"Could it be that Mr Newman sees CRR in simplistic terms as a lavish gift to the Premier's own electorate of South Brisbane?  Mr Newman strongly supported Cross River Rail, that is until he resigned as Lord Mayor of Brisbane."

"Rail Back On Track wants the politics taken out of the debate when it comes to the provision of public transport infrastructure in Queensland.  Currently, the LNP policy harks back to the days of tricky politics during the Bjelke-Petersen reign of conservative government.  It is not a good look for the LNP."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[Jonno]

LNP 1 billion Bruce Highway funding is effectively a policy that support increased road deaths. 

Really?

I'm all for PT and rail, but dismissing any driving/road transport as running the gauntlet and risking your life is a bit OTT....How do you explain the high quality road networks in rail heavy countries like Japan, Germany, France, Switzerland etc?

The death and injury stats tell the story.  1000's dead And billions on road trauma cost.  Highest quality roads can not fix a mode of transport with no fail safe systems.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏ @Robert_Dow

This is how bulk freight should be moved @Campbell_Newman @CD_Track --> http://t.co/qLHu9mJ6 #qldvotes #qldpol