So the State Elections are done and dusted but we are still going for the Council Elections. So far not a single policy from either major party on what they will do improve cycling access in the city. It is times like this that make me nervous with regard to cycling. No policy means no real commitment that either winner can be held to account to after the election. So what have we heard so far and I warn you this will be brief.
Labor
Well like I said nothing. I was able to corner the lord mayor candidate one day on the street when he was doing the whole meet and greet thing. He said he had been speaking to cycling groups such as BQ and the CBD BUG. While he was not willing to give any details at the time he said that the cycling demographic would be quite happy with his policy proposal. I have to say this has no meaning until we have the policy in front of us and the details. Apart from this there is the fact that he has been whinging on about Citycycle has been a failure (this I will address in a future post) this point I do not agree with. He said he will see if the cictycycle contract can be reexamined.
Liberal
First thing unlike the Labor candidate I have not yet been able to grab the liberal bloke in person. So far there has been nothing. That is apart from him rabbiting on about how the Liberal Party in the last term installed Citycycle and has spent $100 million on cycling infrastructure and related works. Now the first thing is this $100 million has to be taken with a grain (or should I say a table spoon) of salt. This $100 million was not all council funds such as on the Bicentennial Bikeway upgrade. This was a 50/50 split between council and state but council has still included state funds under the $100 million because the money was granted to them.
This means if you take away the 50/50 split over the Bicentennial the $100 Million is already down to $90 million. I am still waiting on BQ to give its audit of how and if $100 million was spent and how much was out of it's own coffers.
Greens
The greens have been very quite so far. At the last election they promised $40 million each year over the 4 year term. That would of equalled $160 million. That said back then environmental and sustainable issues were very much in the publics eye so far nothing. Lets just hope this time they make a similar high figure to drag the major parties up to a decent figure.
Australian Sex Party
Now some may think I am joking but this is completely real. Now I would like to first say I have heard the founder of this party on ABC Local Conversations program and she is a completely switched on individual and short of reading everything on there party I agree with the premise. That said so far I have not heard anything from them regarding cycling.
for more information here are the websites
http://raysmith.com.au/
http://www.teamquirk.com.au/
http://qld.greens.org.au/
http://www.australiansexparty.org.au/
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