Federal Labor’s failure to fund three key sustainable transport projects in Dension shows it would rather fund old-fashioned highways than plan for urban bike, walking and public transport.
It has been revealed in State Government estimates today that three key Denison projects – the Macquarie Street Bus Lane, Connecting Universities to their Communities (which included the $30Million Battery Point Shared pathway), and the Sandy Bay Walking and Cycling Project – did not get funding under the Nation Building 2 program.
“Together these projects would have increased walkways, cycle paths and helped remove congestion and pollution from central Hobart, making it more liveable and better connected.”
“Cities the world over are implementing projects like this. But Labor is heading in the opposite direction. Its 1950s mindset, still preoccupied with wasting millions on spurious road-building, is materially holding Dension back.”
“Sadly for Denison, today’s Sustainable Transport Estimates hearing confirmed that these human-scale, forward-looking projects had been rejected by Federal Labor.”
“These types of projects are about connecting our beautiful city with the people who live here, about getting our kids out on their bikes instead of in front of the computer playing games and about acknowledging that there is no future in cars and highways.
“These projects would help to future proof our State, bring down obesity levels, improve health, increase access to education and improve our public transport system.”
“And today’s Estimates hearing also confirmed that Labor ministers, Bryan Green and David O’Byrne had refused to be part of the light rail Taskforce.”
Ms Reynolds said the NB2 projects had been fully scoped and researched as part of the funding application process.
“These world class projects are now sitting ready on the shelf, waiting for someone with vision to pick them up and fund them.”
Anna Reynolds, Greens Candidate for Denison
