The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has joined Hobart Northern Suburbs Rail Action Group President Ben Johnston to condemn the ongoing Labor-Greens State Government inaction on light rail.

On 22 December 2012 the Sustainable Transport Minister, Nick McKim, promised to submit a business case in early 2013 for federal funding for the northern suburbs light rail. He has not done that.

Mr McKim also promised to form a taskforce of “key state and local decision makers” to progress light rail, with details to be announced in early 2013. This pledge also remains unfulfilled.

“Mr McKim has seriously dropped the ball on this one,” Mr Wilkie said.

“Here we have a Greens Member of Parliament in Cabinet, holding the balance of power and responsible for sustainable transport, but after three years in the job all Mr McKim has actually delivered is endless talk about the light rail proposal.

“Frankly it won’t be good enough for him to again blame me for not getting funding for the project, because I obviously can’t go to Canberra and seek the money unless the State Government actually has a solid commitment to light rail and a detailed plan to back it up.

“But here we are with just four weeks to the Federal Budget and still there’s no plan and no submission for federal funding, which means the Labor-Greens State Government is either not up to the job or not actually interested in light rail.

“Whatever the reason, the State Government is all talk on light rail and the community is the ultimate loser.

“The economic, social and environmental case in favour of light rail is overwhelming. I cannot for the life of me understand what possible legitimate reason the Labor-Greens State Government, and in particular a Greens Minister for Sustainable Transport, can have for not doing everything it its power to get this project off the ground.”

A copy of Minister McKim’s 22 December 2012 press release is available at: http://www.premier.tas.gov.au/media_room/media_releases/new_hope_for_hobart_light_rail •
Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Denison