Glenorchy will lead to Brighton – Brown

Former national Greens leader Bob Brown says that progress on the Hobart Light Rail project requires better than all-or-nothing thinking.

“All of us advocates of this sterling transport option for Hobart should rest assured that if one part of it gets up the rest will follow,” he said.

“We all want light rail to run from Brighton to Hobart and will not give up on that outcome. But, after a number of badly designed and negative reports, the breakthrough of the latest report released by Sustainable Transport Minister Nick McKim is that it gives the green light to the Glenorchy-Hobart section for the first time, and that’s without taking account of the social, real estate and business pluses such a start offers Hobart.”

“The key will be Commonwealth funding and that requires state political backing which should best be tripartite. Who will reject Commonwealth infrastructure funding for part or whole of this excellent project if it becomes available? Saying ‘no’ to a Hobart-Glenorchy start-up may also end up as a ‘no’ for the whole project. That would be a very great lost opportunity for Hobart,” Brown said.
Bob Brown, Bob Brown Foundation