N e w s Public Transport Users Association www.ptua.org.au ISSN 0817 – 0347 Volume 38 No. 5 December 2014 East West Link dead, but our work has just started

The election of an Andrews Labor Government in Victorians have made it clear they would rather marks the 'end game' for the community change the government than allow what the late campaign against the costly and destructive East Paul Mees called "this mad scheme" to proceed. West Link tollway. The election result makes it clear that in the 21st However, much remains to be done to articulate a century, no government should count on winning positive vision for transport in and votes on the back of big road projects. Victoria, and to secure the support of the new Optimistically we should hope that with this result government for major public transport initiatives. Victorian (perhaps even Australian) politics finally While we congratulate the ALP and Premier Daniel rids itself of the backflips, lies and spin doctoring Andrews on their we have seen for years, not least in transport policy. historic election A n victory, we have entrenchment of reminded the the trend toward new government one-term that Victorian governments is electors will the unpalatable hold them to alternative. their promise to We therefore cancel the East look forward to West Link and the Andrews release all Government contracts, side responding to its letters and mandate and business case consolidating its documents to election victory public scrutiny. with a robust Victorians want public transport, and most care little programme for public transport infrastructure and for the road project foisted upon the state by former services, using the savings from not proceeding Premier Denis Napthine after abandoning key public with the East West Link. Even allowing for transport promises. The new Andrews Government compensation payments and the return of Federal has a mandate to ensure the East West Link is dead funding, the savings to state budgets over the next and buried. 25 years are considerable (in the order of $300-500 This is, we should remember, the third time a million annually). government has gone to an election with some The new government has already committed to version of the East West Link. floated remove 50 level crossings, extend the South the project and lost in 1999. 's Morang line to Mernda, fund additional bus transport plan backed 'Westlink' as the first stage of services, trial all-night trains on weekends, and Rod Eddington's east-west road, and lost the election revive the original Melbourne Metro rail tunnel via in 2010. Parkville. Continued p3

PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 1! Keeping in touch… Committee Member meetings • Anthony Morton – President Melbourne: PTUA office Tim Long – Secretary Meetings will be advertised in PTUA News and on our website Ross House, Phil Bourke – Treasurer www.ptua.org.au 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Daniel Bowen Telephone (03) 9650 7898 Eastern Suburbs: e-mail: [email protected] Alison Clarke Fourth Tuesday of every month, 7pm Matthew Ferrantino “The Barn” (behind Box Hill Baptist Membership Enquiries Church) Ian Hundley Call or e-mail the office (see above) 3 Ellingworth Parade (off Station St) Tony Mohr Box Hill PTUA members can obtain cheap yearly Myki passes – see www.ptua.org.au/ David Robertson Geelong: First Saturday of every month (except members/offers Petra Stock Jan), 10:30am Bruce Sutherland Multimedia Room, Courthouse Youth Internet Arts Centre Jennifer Williams Our web site is at www.ptua.org.au Corner Gheringhap and Little Malop Branch convenors: Streets, Geelong The PTUA runs email lists for member Paul Westcott – Geelong discussions, and to stay up to date with Terry Konstandelis – Eastern PTUA events. Members can also view Suburbs archived newsletters online: www.ptua.org.au/members/resources

Lynne Kosky 1958-2014 In this issue We note the untimely passing in early December of • East West Link dead - p1,3 Lynne Kosky, who was public transport minister from 2007 to 2010. • PTNT campaign p4-5 Ms Kosky was criticised during her time as minister • What now for regional PT? p7 for appearing not to be interested in the nuts and • The Public City p7 bolts of the public transport system, and over Newsletter contributors - Daniel Bowen, Tony performance of the Myki system (a project which Morton, Cait Jones, Paul Westcott. was actually initiated by her predecessor, Peter Edited by Anna Morton. Batchelor). Printed by Kosdown, Port Melbourne. But her tenure was also marked by a big increase in Our thanks to Margaret Pullar and the dedicated investment in the network, particularly on the train mailout team. network, as the Labor government finally started to respond to widely publicised issues such as rapidly growing patronage and crippling summer heatwaves. New Zealand PTUA Starts Up By the time she retired in early 2010, billions of dollars of projects were underway, including the first Across the Tasman, the new major suburban rail line in Melbourne for 70 New Zealand PTUA has years (, which despite the name is arrived, and launched almost entirely within the metropolitan area) and their first campaign. unprecedented train fleet expansion. While not affiliated with our PTUA, we wish them Our thoughts are with her family and friends. luck! You can learn more about PTUA NZ at www.ptua.org.nz

PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 2! East West Link dead, but our work has just started

Continued from p1 Pakenham-Cranbourne rail his government a mandate for the The former Labor Opposition was corridor project. East West Link overriding that of understandably cautious about Above all the government must Victoria's own government against overpromising in an election held remember the world's great cities it. in a climate of mistrust. Now it is didn't get where they are by Fortunately, it appears not in power, it must acknowledge that building roads, but by supporting everyone in the Federal this limited programme falls well sensitive urban development with Government shares Mr Abbott's short of what is required to fix excellent public transport, walking view, with reports emerging that Melbourne and Victoria's transport and cycling networks. As in these Treasurer Joe Hockey and other system for the 21st century. cities, transport must be planned Coalition MPs are open to seeking The can ultimately and managed by strong yet nimble alternative uses for the $3 billion provide the equivalent of about public agencies with the right of federal funds in Victoria. three West Gate Bridges in people and the right budget. Even if the ideological bar on passenger terms (and allow the Abbott still digging in funding urban public transport original West Gate to function For our Prime Minister, the loss of were to persist, there are more more effectively as a freight the "East West Link referendum" beneficial uses for these funds on corridor), but its delivery on 29 November presented an country roads or freight rail. But a timeframe is too far in the future to opportunity to honourably rethink sensible Federal Government satisfy more immediate needs for his ideological opposition to would heed the advice of better public transport to support federal funding of urban public Infrastructure Australia on this urban productivity and job transport. We pointed this out in question and use the funds to creation. an open letter which can be found support productive investment in One action the new government on our website at urban rail infrastructure that could take very quickly, requiring www.ptua.org.au genuinely supports high-value activities and job creation. virtually no additional Our open letter also infrastructure or rolling stock, is to reminded Mr Abbott that boost train frequencies outside prior to his government's Advertisement peak hours. This has already taken $3 billion funding place on the Frankston and commitment to the East Dandenong lines where trains run West Link, the previous every 10 minutes through the day. Labor Government had Plan Your This should be rolled out more made a similar $3 billion extensively, to make better use of commitment to the Future the track capacity we already have Melbourne Metro rail and encourage patronage and project, and it would be revenue growth for more diverse Gain the knowledge and skills to work with only proper to reallocate people, communities and organisations and make a positive diference. travel needs. funds to that project Other initiatives that should be given the new RMIT ofers postgraduate programs that consider the social, economic and political forces involved in shaping a considered in this term of government's priorities. sustainable future for our cities, regions and planet. With online courses, practical work placements and international government include the rollout of opportunities, you have the fexibility to design a study plan Unfortunately, as of tailored to your needs. high-capacity signalling to boost − Master of Urban Planning and Environment when we got to press Mr − Master of International Urban and Environmental track capacity for peak services, Abbott is still insisting Management the filling of gaps in the tram that the 2013 Federal network, and the retrieval and re- Apply now for 2015 election result - despite www.rmit.edu.au/programs/postgrad/environment scoping of stalled Coalition failing to deliver the initiatives such as Southland Coalition a two-party station, the Doncaster and preferred majority in Rowville extensions, and the Victoria - somehow gives PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 3! A snapshot of the Public Transport Not Traffic Campaign

The Public Transport Not Traffic campaign is a coalition of over 35 community groups from across Melbourne opposed to the East West Link, led by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). It was launched in November 2013 and has had a strategy targeting key marginal seats as well as legal and corporate campaigning efforts.

CrowdSpot An online program was launched to map public transport improvements as nominated by the general public. The program received over 700 recommendations and almost 1,000 separate votes (plus collecting 500 email contacts).

Survey The campaign launched with a survey targeting public transport users and collected 2,000 results (including contact details). The survey found 97% of supporters said only better Court Cases public transport will fix The campaign has actively Melbourne’s traffic crisis. supported the Tony Murphy Supreme Court case against the State of Victoria. We have helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for the case as well as helping the legal team access experts and community members. We have made contact with numerous councillors at Yarra, Moreland and Moonee Valley in relation to their Supreme Court cases against the State Government and the Linking Melbourne Authority. We intend to maintain this support after the election.

Communications The campaign has a direct email supporter base of over 5,000 people with reach of estimated further 5,000 contacts via community groups’ direct distribution. The supporters are contacted fortnightly.

PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 4! A snapshot of the Public Transport Not Traffic Campaign

Marginal seats The marginal seats for campaign priority were Frankston and Bentleigh where two door knocks and seven street stalls were held. The campaign has lead or supported over 100 events across Melbourne (with additional focus on seats of Prahran, Mordialloc and Carrum) including community forums, station leafleting, street stalls and one door knocking session in Carrum and Mulgrave. We have had over 600 conversations on people’s door steps in marginal seats, with 50 volunteers joining us in our door knocking sessions.

Petition against EWL The campaign has collected over 4,500 signatures from across Melbourne, specifically outside the inner-city seats (e.g. from Werribee, Banyule) and focused particularly on marginal seats (Frankston, Bentleigh). The petition also garnered almost 2,000 online signatures. The petition was presented to Parliament by Richard Wynne on 18th September with a tabled number of 3,750 signatures.

Corporate Campaign In September we commenced campaign activities targeting Lend Lease. We sent out letters to investors and ethical investment advisors. This lead to receiving a phone call from Vivienne Bower, Group Head of Corporate Affairs who wished to work with us in a meaningful manner if Lend Lease was awarded the contract, however there would be no discussion of Lend Lease delaying the signing of the contract or withdrawing their bid. This was followed by 40 volunteers flooding the phone lines of 6 senior managers at Lend Lease. We had over 80 conversations with Lend Lease staff on the day. Danae Bosler and Sharon Laura (No WestConnex) attended the Lend Lease AGM and asked questions about Lend Lease’s involvement and actions in relation to East West Link and the Sydney tollway project WestConnex. This gained attention from the Chairman of the Board as well as national press.

Fundraising The campaign has fundraised over $15,000 directly for campaign activities and additionally another $25,000 in conjunction with the PTUA for an ad in the Herald Sun (30 June) targeting Premier Napthine. The campaign also strongly supports the ‘Tony Murphy v EWL’ court case and has played a key role in fundraising . This fundraising has been achieved through online requests, direct mail and volunteer-delivered letter drops. A more recent fundraising drive has seen approximately $14,000 received. PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 5! What will the Andrews government do for regional PT?

The result of the Victorian The principal promises of the The first three undertakings are election does not seem to new government are: welcome, of course, but the last promise a great deal for public • a twenty minute off-peak one is peculiar. It seems to transport outside Melbourne. weekday frequency on the originate from the all-too- Most importantly, however, the Geelong rail line (due to the prevalent notion that “if it east-west toll road won’t be single track beyond Geelong, doesn’t run on rails, it isn’t constructed. That means that alternate trains will originate public transport”. It seems money which would have been and terminate at South axiomatic that any money spent wasted on the toll road tunnel Geelong and Waurn Ponds). on that proposal would be far will be available for more better used to change the sustainable transport initiatives. • 20 extra V/Locity cars in existing Bendigo bus system addition to the current order from its current social service The cost of the Coalition’s for 43 cars. regional public transport model to a real alternative to car promises outweighed those of • additional late-night road use. Labor, but most of the Napthine coach services to Traralgon, Disappointingly, no major party government’s stated service and Bendigo, Ballarat and undertook to implement any of infrastructure upgrades were not Geelong on Friday and the core infrastructure proposals going to happen before 2016. Saturday nights. of the Committee for Ballarat’s That provoked considerable • an investigation into a “FastTrack Ballarat” plan, and uncertainty about whether they suburban rail system for there was no mention of the would be implemented. Bendigo. duplication of the rail track south of Geelong.

Annual General Meeting

Our Annual General Meeting President Tony Morton, was held on 10th December at secretary Tim Long and Ross House. Around 100 community campaigner Cait members of the Association Jones then spoke on what has were present. been a remarkable and busy Alex Sheko gave a presentation year for the PTUA. There are on the study tour to Zurich, many people who must be Munich and other European thanked many times over for cities organised by transport their effort and dedication to a researchers at the University of highly successful grassroots Melbourne. He explained the campaign. way these European cities As the number of nominations handle concepts such as local The Paul Mees Award for 2014 is presented to for Committee positions was access to public transport, East West Link activist Tony Murphy (right) by equal to the number of traffic priority and multimodal PTUA President Tony Morton. positions, all were declared integration that pose challenges duly elected. We welcome for all cities. There is clearly is now well known as the first-time Committee members much that Melbourne can learn plaintiff in one of three court Tony Mohr, Petra Stock and from these examples. actions against the destructive Jennifer Williams in 2015, and East West Link tollway. His The second annual Paul Mees farewell departing members case is still proceeding in the award for transport activism was Yvonne Kirk, Jeremy Lunn and Supreme Court. presented to Tony Murphy, who Nalla Sivarasa. PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 6! Geelong Branch Report

The new “greenfields” bus PTV held consultation sessions changes, and their rationale, are network for Geelong has just early in December. The schedule explained and justified. been released under the second for the release of the network plan G21 Public Transport Strategy. and the consultation sessions was Unfortunately a number of routes The changes are due to be regrettably compressed, but the will have 40-minute frequencies introduced in April 2015. new plan could not be released (one has an 80-minute frequency), Unfortunately, only very limited during the caretaker period leading which cannot be genuinely new funding was made available, up to the state election. “clockface”. That’s been done to so the changes had to be more- harmonise them with the or-less cost neutral. Given the considerable alterations impending 20-minute off-peak rail to the existing network, such timetable, where it’s felt that 20- Branch Convenor, Paul Westcott, consultation is particularly minute bus frequencies cannot be was briefed in October by the PTV important. Such a major re- justified. officer responsible for its design. drawing of existing routes means Under the new system, routes will there will be some who will see As well, not all railway stations be more direct and a 20-minute themselves worse off. Their will get the 20-minute off-peak frequency provided on most major inevitable complaints could disrupt frequency, due either to the single routes. Currently, only two routes the process, but many of those can track beyond Geelong, or because run at that level. be nipped in the bud if the they aren’t considered to be well- enough patronised.

The Public City: Essays in honour of Paul Mees

The Public City, a volume of and the Clyde Hotel (where his essays by prominent Australian portrait now graces the front bar). and international urban The Public City is published by planning researchers, was Melbourne University Press and officially launched at RMIT on can be ordered online: Thursday 4th December. Tony www.mup.com.au/items/154962 Morton attended the launch on behalf of the PTUA. RMIT Course Brochure The essays commemorate the life This edition of PTUA News and work of Dr Paul Mees OAM, includes an advertisement from former President of the Association RMIT's School of Global, Urban and leading light in transport and and Social Studies, where Paul city planning in Australia for many Mees worked as a lecturer for years. The volume is edited by some years before his untimely Paul's colleagues Brendan Gleeson death in 2013. We agreed to and Beau Beza. Contributors RMIT's request to include this include Paul's academic mentor advertisement about some of their Patrick Troy, Paul's former forthcoming courses, as we believe students Matthew Burke, spiritual companion through Paul's the information may genuinely be Muhammed Imran and Tim life, launched the book before of value to PTUA members. Petersen, colleagues Jago Dodson, more than 100 of Paul's family, We are in the process of Ruth Fincher and John Stone, and friends and colleagues gathered in formulating some internal prominent journalist Kenneth Pearson & Murphy's Cafe on a guidelines on paid advertising in Davidson. There is a particularly balmy Melbourne summer PTUA newsletters and websites. poignant contribution from Paul's evening. Many proceeded to visit If you'd like to contribute your wife Erica Cervini. some of Paul's favourite Carlton views please contact us: Father Bob McGuire, Australian landmarks such as Toto's Pizzeria offi[email protected] living national treasure and PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 7! PTUA News Newsletter of the Public Transport Users Association, Org. No. A-6256L Print Post: Publication No. PP 100002658 If undeliverable, return to: PTUA Office, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000

Inside:

East West Link dead What now for regional PT? The Public City Public Transport Not Traffic campaign

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PTUA News – December 2014 – Page 8!