Friday, August 28, 2009

Don't give up little tram!



Today, I was officially informed that Cr. Gough met with the Mayor to express outrage at my tram article below. Cr Gough has stated he is seeking legal advice and has plans to sue me!

Such an approach is most disappointing. I believe that differences between people make the world a richer place, and strive to ensure freedom from discrimination, harassment and bullying. My blog is a means to share facts and opinions in our free society. If there is anything factually incorrect, I am always approachable and willing to resolve matters.

However, let me be perfectly clear:

1. I have stated that Cr. Gough and Cr. La Vella effectively voted against the tram, using the word “effectively” most deliberately, since this conveys my personal opinion of the effect that a vote against the motion would have had on the tram. Whether they are supportive of the tram and the degree or manner in which they choose to suport/oppose it, is for ratepayers to judge themselves, based on their actions and recorded speeches in the council chamber.

2. I do not resile from anything in my article; all quotes below are transcribed directly from an audio recording of the public meeting and can be verified once council publishes the audio.

Like the "little train that could", I will continue to “draw upon bravery and determination” to represent my fellow residents by being transparent and true. I am tolerant of constructive, robust debate and encourage all would-be politicians to do the same. Wish me luck!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Little Tram that Could


The debate on the feasibility of a tram up to Doncaster Hill (and possibly beyond) lasted a surprising 49 minutes, with numerous interruptions of my speech by those who feared pushing for a tram would jeopardise funding for the buses.

At the heart of the debate was the decision whether to accept a GHD Consultants’ report on the tram which, in the opinion of both myself and the Public Transport Users’ Association (www.ptua.org.au) is flawed and misleading. Had we accepted the report’s findings and the initial council motion, we would effectively have consigned the tram to the back-burner and could look forward to another 35 years of fruitless lobbying.

In arguing for an alternative motion that would give us better quality facts, I drew on a famous tale I recently told my young son, “The Little Train that Could” (the particular relevance of the bold sections will become quickly apparent):

“…the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch-engine to draw it up the hill. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing on bravery and determination and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

Here are some interesting facts:

Doncaster Hill is less steep than certain stretches of Burwood Highway, which was one of three routes to be recently extended by the State Government. Down goes that argument against the tram. “I think I can, I think I can…”

The Burwood extension went ahead despite the fact that it’s a very long way from there to the city. This shows the “extended travel time” argument raised by certain councillors to be disingenuous and irrelevant. “I think I can, I think I can…”

Kerbside trams are very successful in many European cities, and this makes disability-compliant tram stops far easier to build. Another hurdle proposed by the GHD report shot down. “I think I can, I think I can…”

As a representative of the people, I am quickly learning bravery and determination – just like that little train that could. Earlier this year, when I successfully fought for rate rebates for low-income ratepayers, a report claimed that it would cost over $50,000 to administer the scheme. It’s a good thing I did challenge that report, because we have now found it will cost less than $5,000! “I thought I could, I thought I could”

Rather than consign the prospect of light rail for Doncaster to the back burner; rather than choose not to invest in tools to help us lobby the State for rail to Manningham (as some long-standing councillors advocate); rather than take off the pressure and cower in fear that bus grants may be taken off us … I want the public transport that Manningham deserves and I’m prepared to fight for it!

In my closing summary, I stated:

“It would shock most of the residents of this municipality at the level of what some might call filibustering that’s been going on here, in regards to what is a very basic request – that: We want a tram up the hill; We think we can do it; let’s just get it done and commission a report. I think it is very telling listening to some of the comments from the floor this evening, talking about how it’s not our responsibility to produce reports and lobby the government and that we should just leave it ..”

Here, Cr. La Vella interrupted with a Point of Order, where she said “It wasn’t stated that we didn’t say it was our job to lobby the state government.” (huh?)

My comments were based on Cr. Gough having earlier stated (transcribed verbatim from the audio recording):

“We’re spending money on things that really aren’t up to us to do. The responsibility of providing these services rests fairly and squarely on the State Government. The State Government will do their own feasibility studies if ever they’re going to do it. So what are we doing it for? A few bits of paper so we can go and lobby. That’s what we’re doing it for.”

As my trusted colleague Cr. Pick later so aptly pointed out, in Whittlesea it was precisely the reports and lobbying by the council & community groups that eventually got the government to deliver the South Morang rail extension! They invested in the community’s future, they didn’t give up and nor should we!

Finally permitted to continue, I concluded:

“Really if we took the approach of not spending money on a report, and not pushing as hard as we can to get a tram for residents, then it’s no surprise that it’s been … 30, 40 years we’ve been trying to get a train to our municipality and failed. … It’s an investment for our community and it’s long overdue.”

Cr. Reid summarised, “We need a bus, we need a tram, we need a train! Let’s back the tram that could and pass this (my) motion and stop filibustering”.
My motion (actual words from audio recording):

A. That council note the completion of Council Plan item 2.5.3; and

B. Council considers that this matter warrants further investigation and that it commissions a feasibility study on the provision of light rail in the municipality with a specific focus on extending the Route 48 tram from North Balwyn to initially, Doncaster Hill; and

C. The council commissions a second expert opinion from a suitably credentialed public transport expert to review the findings of the GHD Consultants’ pre-feasibility report and conduct a further independent pre-feasibility report.

D. We approach the Boroondara City Council and request that they pay half of the feasibility of the 4km (sic), which is 2km in their municipality.

(NB. Item D was an amendment requested by Cr. La Vella).

This motion was eventually passed 7-2, with a “division” recording that Cr. Gough and Cr. LaVella had effectively voted against the tram for Doncaster Hill.

“I thought I could, I thought I could” puffed the little train ….. Watch this space.