Griffith By-election

[ozbob]

Any transport issues of interest for this federal by-election?

Background to the by-election --> http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2014/griffith/

[ozbob]

Map --> www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2014/griffith/grif.pdf‎

[ozbob]

Non funding of public transport by Abbott Government?  Road congestion.

eg. UBAT ( and not CRR).

Cleveland line?  Freight trains through electorate.

Elements of eastern busway.


Other issues such as bus route failures and the fare failure impact but more the realm of local/state, but still might be worth a mention?

[#Metro]

Cleveland line - forced double interchange required to get to the Gold Coast (Park Rd - Beenleigh - GC train) unless one goes all the way into the CBD and then back out again on BUM/UBAT. This is due to lack of Park Rd station.

I'd not bother with the Eastern Busway - that thing cost $465 million for a glorified 1 km, any further extension of that is going to be so costly it will eat funds from other projects. What is needed is bus lanes and re purposing of the centre median where available.

A big deal is the lack of a BULIMBA BUZ / BULIMBA GLIDER which is not a fed issue, but they would be more than happy to pile the pressure on for.

[ozbob]

Yes, thanks LD.  Level crossing safety and bridge strikes another issue on the side.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Griffith by-election more than a two-horse race

[Jonno]

For me it is the lack of segregated bike lanes on major and key distributor rds.  Griffith shold be a cycling shinning light yet the lack of infrastructure makes increasing cycling very hard!!

Lack of BUZ and bus lanes along Wynnumn Rd also key issue

Last is the lack of good public place making at Morningside Railway Station!!

[techblitz]

Teri butler focus >>> health,faster broadband access,childcare access

Geoff ebbs >>>>> health,sustainable energy

Bill glasson >>>>> improving frontline health services,easing cost of living,small business job creation

[Jonno]

http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/site/blog/four_reasons_protected_bike_lanes_mean_business/

Four Reasons Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business
By Mary Lauran Hall on January 15, 2014

It's easy to see that we're living in a changing country.

The economy is slowly bouncing back after the biggest slowdown since the Great Depression. For the first time in two generations, Americans are moving to cities in record numbers. And during all this, more and more people are expressing a preference for living in places where bicycling is easy and comfortable.

City leaders and business leaders alike are taking note. And, in responding to these trends, they have discovered an unexpected tool to create opportunities in growing downtown economies: the protected bike lane.

In a new report from PeopleForBikes and the Alliance for Biking & Walking, 15 entrepreneurs and business leaders from major U.S. cities explain how protected bike lanes — on-street lanes that are physically separated from automobile traffic by curbs, planters, parked cars or posts — has meant big benefits for their companies.

[newbris]

For me it is the lack of segregated bike lanes on major and key distributor rds.  Griffith shold be a cycling shinning light yet the lack of infrastructure makes increasing cycling very hard!!

Lack of BUZ and bus lanes along Wynnumn Rd also key issue

Last is the lack of good public place making at Morningside Railway Station!!

Agree with this. Make cycling safer, buses more time competitive so people who want to explore alternatives to driving can. Leave more space on roads for people who have to drive.

Would be great to bring forward the funding for the Bulimba Riverwalk due in stages between 2026 and 2031....but I'm sure many other commuter segregated bike lanes would be great and worthwhile as well.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/downloads/nCP_maps/pfti_active_and_public_transport_network_maps/72-APT193.pdf (PDF)

[ozbob]

http://www.aec.gov.au/media/media-releases/2014/01-17.htm

11 candidates to contest the 2014 Griffith by-election

Updated: 17 January 2014

Eleven candidates have nominated to contest the 2014 Griffith by-election, the AEC announced today.

The candidate nominations, in ballot paper order, that were officially declared at 12noon today are:

    Timothy Lawrence, Stable Population Party
    Geoff Ebbs, The Greens
    Christopher David Williams, Family First Party
    Karel Boele, Independent
    Anthony Ackroyd, Bullet Train for Australia
    Anne Reid, Secular Party of Australia
    Terri Butler, Australian Labor Party
    Melanie Rose Thomas, Pirate Party Australia
    Travis James Windsor, Independent
    Ray Sawyer, Katter's Australian Party
    Bill Glasson, Liberal National Party of Queensland

[#Metro]

Anthony Ackroyd? Isn't that the Kevin Rudd comedian impersonator?

[#Metro]

OMG it is!!

FARCE!!

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> More than half the candidates in Griffith can't vote for themselves

[ozbob]

From the Quest South East Advertiser 22nd January 2014 page 5

Transit issues irritate

[SurfRail]

^ I've no issue with candidates being able to demonstrate an affinity or closeness with the area - if for no other reason that electoral boundaries do change regularly, and in urban seats this can (and I'm sure has) put MPs out of their own seat.

Parachuting in should be a no-no.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> PM, Foreign Minister headline LNP Griffith byelection launch

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Greens use Griffith to push for climate change action

[ozbob]

Was invited to participate in a tele-forum for the Griffith Electorate this evening conducted by ALP.  Interesting process, was asked to highlight public transport issues in the electorate.  Thanks for the opportunity.

[ozbob]

Was invited to participate in a tele-forum for the Griffith Electorate this evening conducted by ALP.  Interesting process, was asked to highlight public transport issues in the electorate.  Thanks for the opportunity.

^ repeat again tonight .. twitter #plan4griffith

[ozbob]

^

612 ABC Brisbane click here!

ALP's turn to hold Griffith by-election tele-conference

05 February 2014 , 9:21 AM by Spencer Howson

Labor candidate for Griffith Terri Butler has held four telephone hook-up town-hall meetings - two on Monday night and two last night.

As with the LNP candidate Bill Glasson's telephone Town Hall last week - you're about to hear from Griffith voter Jan, who runs the Twitter account @GriffithElects.

Jan sat in on one of the conference calls last night:

[aldonius]

There's a candidate debate event tonight at Souths Leagues club in West End, apparently.

[ozbob]

There's a candidate debate event tonight at Souths Leagues club in West End, apparently.

Yes, all candidates will be there except the Bullet Train candidate ... 

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Leaders converge on Griffith two days out of byelection

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> End of a journey looms for Griffith candidates

[ozbob]

ABC Election Results --> http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2014/griffith/result.htm

[ozbob]

ABC Election Results --> http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2014/griffith/result.htm


AEC Virtual Tally Room --> http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionFirstPrefs-17552-163.htm

[ozbob]

This was the note framework I used for my tele-forum participation for interest ..

Good Evening!

Thanks Terri and Jacki for the invitation to join this tele-forum. The Griffith Electorate has a lot of major public transport network infrastructure - the main southern and Cleveland rail lines and the line to the port. Bus ways  - the south east Busway, Boggo Road busway - Eastern Busway.  It has some of the busiest bus routes, the 199 and the City Glider, but some parts of the electorate are not well served.

As Terri has mentioned Cross River Rail is an important project. The Abbott Government has said it will not fund public transport and urban rail.  This is very disappointing, we need balanced transport solutions particularly in the major cities of Australia. The previous ALP Federal Government through Infrastructure Australia has supported many public transport projects.  For example Regional Rail Link in Victoria, a multi-billion dollar rail project. South Australia, Adelaide the electrification of the suburban rail network is underway thanks largely to federal funding.  In West Australian, the sinking of Perth railway station and associated public transport network improvements in Perth are federally funded in the main.  Here in South East Queensland - Moreton Bay Rail Link is funded by the federal Government - 70%, as well as State and the Moreton Bay Council.

Cross River Rail was exhaustively evaluated by Infrastructure Australia, was shovel ready, and funding was in the pipeline. Cross River Rail would have truly transformed the rail network. Now, we have the abandonment of Cross River Rail and the State Government has come up with the Underground Bus and Train tunnel.  This project will not deliver the same benefits for the rail network in south east Queensland and for Griffith.  There is the loss of the underground railway station at Park Road/Boggo Road. With UBAT, connections between the Cleveland Line and the Gold Coast will now have to be via Roma St, or change at Park Road and all stations to Altandi, to wait for a Gold Coast express.  Dutton Park station will go. The UBAT rail tunnel will be a ' stranded tunnel ' as there is no allowance or mention of the rail improvements north and south of the tunnel that were a critical part of Cross River Rail, which without limit any real capacity gains.  Funding for UBAT is also very uncertain. One has to question if UBAT will ever happen?

At the local level, fares are a critical issue as Terri has mentioned.  Fares in SEQ are among the worlds most expensive.  We have to do better. 

Bulimba is poorly served by buses.  The Maroon City Glider bus service should be rerouted to run into Oxford St Bulimba.  This will then provide a high frequency bus service to and from this busy entertainment precinct.

We need roads, but we need more and balanced investment in public transport, services and infrastructure.  Terri understands that and I am sure will be an effective voice for transport improvements in Griffith.

Thank you!

[ozbob]

Butler ALP wins the seat. 

[ozbob]