RE: FW: Thurs.5.7.18 daily digest
  William Jackson

Roderick
Are you having any issues with your inbox? My email is bouncing back. (Hopefully this works!)
William

-----Original Message-----
From:tramsdownunder@... [mailto:tramsdownunder@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Roderick Smith
Sent: Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:24 PM
To:tramsdownunder@...
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] FW: Thurs.5.7.18 daily digest

-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:12 PM
To: 'transportdownunder@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: Thurs.5.7.18 daily digest

Attached.

180602Sa Melbourne 'Age' - rooftop solar. with tdu.

180705Th Melbourne 'Herald Sun':
- letters.
- energy, gas, Inpex. with tdu.
- energy, Paris agreement. with tdu.
- Metro changes.
- Flinders St kiosks.

180705Th Metro Twitter:
- South Yarra delays.
- Dandenong doughnuts.

Roderick.

Metro Twitter Thurs.5.7
6.30 Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Free coffee at Dandenong station with Coffee Cure until 9.30, to say thanks for giving the bus a go.
- 6.40 Wooohoooo.
- 6.58 Best part of my morning.
7.54 Cancelled train on the Frankston line? No announcement as usual. Just let everyone wait and be late and waste time. Metro doesn't care. Incompetent and undeserving as ever.
13.47 Frankston line: Minor delays (equipment faults between Bonbeach and Carrum).
14.37 Glen Waverley line: Minor delays (police attending to a trespasser between Jordanville and Mount Waverley). Services may be held.
- 14.53 now major.
- 15.02 clearing.
15.25 Lilydale & Belgrave lines. Major delays clearing after police attended to a trespasser near Ringwood [starting time unannounced].
- 15.33 Can people just stay off the effing tracks?
- 15.46 How hard is it people? Half of Melbourne is in a standstill because you couldn’t wait 2 minutes for a train to pass.
16.41 Frankston/Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Minor delays (police at Caulfield). Stopping patterns may change at short notice.
- 16.48 Boo.
- 16.48 clearing.
17.00 Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Our friends at Dandee Donuts are at Dandenong station handing out delicious fresh doughnuts to our train replacement bus passengers.
17.39 Belgrave/Lilydale/Glen Waverley lines: Minor delays (a train fault at Richmond). Stopping patterns may be changed.
- 17.45 clearing.
- 17.50 Every. Single. Day.
18.07 South Morang line: Minor delays (an 'operational incident' near Epping).
- 18.26 Driver ran a red?
18.28 Sandringham line: Services suspended Flinders St - Elsternwick (a person hit by a train). A shuttle service will operate Elsternwick - Sandringham. Passengers are advised to utilise local transport options (tram & bus) in the interim. [Link given at 18.48].
- 18.38 Passengers on the affected train, emergency services are in attendance. We will evacuate the train when they deem that it is safe to do so.
- 18.47 Buses are running Caulfield - Elsternwick. Take any Frankston/Dandenong train to Caulfield to connect.
- 20.16 That's good to hear. But would have great if your communications were a little bit clearer as well. Thanks.
- 20.30 We just got to Caulfield station. The noticeboard read that the train is leaving on one platform to where I'm going; the train left from another. Now we have to wait for another half hour. How is this so hard for you to coordinate? Seriously, so irritated right now.
- 21.17 Trains are resuming, with major delays. The first through will be the 21.13 down Sandringham and the 21.12 up.
18.52 Frankston/Cranbourne/Pakenham lines: Minor delays (a person hit by a train); trains will depart from altered platforms Caulfield - Richmond.
- 19.34 Frankston line: Major delays (equipment faults near Seaford and a person hit by a train). Trains may depart from altered platforms between Richmond and Caulfield. Services may be held.
- 19.38 Currently at South Yarra.
- 19.45 Major delays and services will depart from altered platforms Caulfield - Richmond (a person hit by a train).
- 20.11 Sorry about the person that got hit. But there are also no trains to Caulfield from Richmond. This was since about 20 min ago.
- 20.12 Trains have been delayed temporarily to allow emergency services access to the track for recovery and investigation purposes.
- 20.21 Major delays clearing while recovery efforts take place after a person hit by a train. Altered platforms likely.
22.03 Watsonia: Please take extra care when alighting and boarding at Watsonia this evening. A power fault is partially affecting station lighting and extra staff are on site to assist.
- 22.13 First Burnley group and then Caulfield group, now this, seriously.
- 23.14 Have you ever considered actually running the trains? Revolutionary I know! Because all you seem to do is stare at your navel and whinge. It's not like Melburnians are paying you millions per day, right? No wait. the Melbournian economy isn't that important, right?

Melbourne Express: Thursday, July 5, 2018
8.53 It looks like a lot of public transport commuters have been hit with ongoing stop-start delays this morning. Nothing is causing a major meltdown but delays have been constant and people clearly don't love being stuck.
• Delays on the Frankston line are up to 15 minutes after a signal fault in Cheltenham.
• Swanston Street trams have resumed after an earlier disruption.
• East Coburg and Moreland trams are still delayed following an earlier tram fault.
This morning's sunrise looked just so beautiful and our photographer Joe Armao captured it from Williamstown.
Heavy fog in Sydney is messing with many Melburnian mornings. If you're flying to Sydney this morning, it's worth checking the status of your flight before heading to the airport - all airlines have been affected by thick fog at Sydney airport. "Qantas like all other airlines, has been impacted by low-lying fog in Sydney,' a spokeswoman said.
Earlier, passengers on a long haul flight from London to Sydney were forced to stop in Melbourne due to the fog, but it's understood those customers should be on a connecting flight shortly.
We've heard this morning that the fast-food kiosks on Flinders Street Station platforms are being given the boot in a station overhaul.
7.10:
• The Frankston line has started moving again after delays caused by a signal fault.
• There are minor delays on the Belgrave, Frankston and Lilydale lines.
• Buses are replacing trains on the Altona Loop.
6.51 Foggy Sydney affecting Melbourne flights. A thick blanket of fog in Sydney is affecting flights inbound and outbound. A Virgin Australia spokesperson said some flights from Melbourne to Sydney are delayed as air traffic control has reduced the number of arrivals and departures which has had a flow-on effect on all airlines. They are advising travellers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport. One passenger has reported their Qantas flight from London to Sydney was forced to be diverted to Melbourne.
The joy of carry-on only Qantas.
6.09 Level crossing removal works are continuing to affect the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines with buses replacing trains between Dandenong and Pakenham/Cranbourne until Saturday.
* first buses replace trains on Monday morning and now there’s delays of 20+ mins on the frankston line. I’m paying $9 per day for what service?7:55 AM - Jul 5, 2018
* Blanket of fog over large parts of Sydney this morning, including CBD and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
Take care on the roads! After fog clears, beautiful sunny July day ahead with max 23 or 24 degrees
5.14 QF2 from London to Sydney had to land in Melbourne just now due to fog in Sydney. I’m sure many are not happy and feel sorry for them, but I will save at least 4 hours travelling and get get a full day’s work in. Thanks.
<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-express-thursday-july-5-2018-20180705-p4zpjs.html>

Tuggeranong residents up in arms at new bus routes 4 July 2018. 35 comments..
Talking points:
•The government has put a new bus network out for public consultation .
•It is due to go live in January after the completion of stage one of light rail.
•Xpresso busses would be axed under the proposal.
Opposition to the government's proposed new bus network is heating up with Tuggeranong residents airing their anger at a heated meeting with Transport Canberra.
The government announced the new bus network earlier this month which is set to go live in January following the completion of the Gungahlin to Civic leg of light rail in December.
Transport Canberra director general Duncan Edghill at the announcement of a new public transport network for Canberra. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong There will be 10 rapid routes, but the peak-hour Xpresso services have been dumped to make way for them.
Residents are angry the Xpresso routes would be dumped, saying peak hour commutes will more than double in time.
Transport Canberra director general Duncan Edghill met with about 100 Tuggeranong residents on Tuesday night at an information session.
Tuggeranong resident and daily bus user Reg Butler said he was not impressed by the presentation and does not believe their concerns will be listened to.
"It means I'll be spending an extra five to seven hours away from home per week," he said.
"It will mean walking to and from the bus in pitch black so there's also safety issues.
"A lot of people at the meeting said they would just drive, they won't spend the extra time sitting on a bus."
Mr Butler said the proposed changes would mean his commute to the city would increase from half an hour to one hour and 15 minutes.
"There was a lot of angst, anger, derision about the stupid points being made at the meeting,"
"He did not go beyond set talking points.
"No one was confident we would be listened to, it sounded like they have committed to this."
Tuggeranong Community Council president Glenys Patulny said adequate transport was one of the biggest issues facing residents.
"We are further away from anything than anyone else," she said.
"We really are hoping they will agree to re-evaluate the decision to stop the express buses.
"There was also a lot of concern about the changes to school buses."
A Transport Canberra spokeswoman said it was expected community consultation will result in changes to the proposed network.
But she said the 19 Xpresso routes carried less than four per cent of Canberra's bus commuters.
"By converting Xpresso routes to rapid services, we can carry more passengers and provide greater travel flexibility," she said.
"The current Xpressos have drawbacks – if you happen to miss your Xpresso the choices to get to or from where you’re going may be quite constrained.
"There are also only a limited number of Xpressos – they aren’t a ‘turn-up and go’ service.
"More rapids means you can travel at different times of the day knowing that if you miss one, another will be right behind.
"Rapids operate for longer hours, are more frequent, and will operate on the same route seven days a week."
The spokeswoman said the more frequent network would cut commuting time across the network.
She said while some commuting times would change, the introduction of frequent Rapid services would reduce waiting times at stops and provide more flexible travel options throughout the day.
"In designing the new network, we are considering both the 8 per cent of Canberrans who already catch the bus to work as well as the 92 per cent who don’t catch the bus to work," she said.
"Our aim is to increase bus patronage, which will benefit all Canberrans through reduced road congestion and greater transport choice."
People can share their feedback about the planned network by visiting yoursay.act.gov.au.
<www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/tuggeranong-residents-up-in-arms-at-new-bus-routes-20180704-p4zpg6.html>
* The new timetables are a disaster for Tuggeranong. I attended the TCC meeting in the hope Transport Canberra might listen and retain the current effective bus timetables - my hope was dashed. TC Executives were their to 'market' NOT change. Expresso Buses currently run full and serve their loyal followers with efficient and fast service. There lies the problem! Expresso 30 minute direct services will be deleted forcing travellers to catch up to 3 buses and a trebling of their travel time. Route 64 through Monash offers one bus to Woden, this is also way to efficient. ACTION will force me to catch 2 buses, double my travel time from 30 to 60 minutes! The marketing response from TC proves the "Yes Minister" public servants have no intension of changing their plans. Prepare for traffic jams folks as I will be driving along with everyone else that attended that meeting! The chief executive Duncan admitted that he 'bought 2 cars on his arrival into Canberra', buses are to slow - what hope is there for the public. In closing the ACTION definition for "Rapid" (which is false and mis-leading) means 'to wonder'. If your child catches a school bus in Tuggeranong, check with your school because its likely the school bus will be deleted effective Jan2019. Mark Parton and Caroline Le Couteur were both present but powerless to stop the change, referring me to the labor Minister responsible for transport. Folks we are in deep trouble and the ACTION executive is not listening.
* Did someone at TC get a hold of an '80s or '90s bus map and think that was a good idea? It'll be back to the bad old days of multiple buses and a grand tour of a couple of suburbs just to get to work. My current trip involves one Xpresso bus and is 25 minutes door to door. The proposed timetable will double the trip time and require a change at Belconnen. Oh well, it'll be back to driving for me unfortunately.
* $350 million of pubic works 'deferred'. Public transport routes cancelled or whittled back year on year. How else do people this tram is being paid for? Money does not grow on trees--of course other things have had to go by the wayside to fund the tram.
Instead of the $1.1 billion this government has spent on a tram servicing ONE PART of Canberra, we could (should) have spent half of that upgrading the existing bus network servicing ALL of Canberra, and keeping other infrastructure projects afloat.
Instead, Barr bought Greens coalition for an idealogical project of dubious value. The effects of this tram will be felt for the next 20-30 years--and we let it happen.
* My current commute involves 2 stages. The first is already a rapid route and won't be affected by the change but the second leg of my commute, from Woden to Hume, is being axed with no replacement.
A couple of years back, I was often the only person on the bus back to Woden on the evening and I could understand them dropping a dead route but since then IvI' seen usage of the 88 route go up significantly and therest at least half a dozen or more on both my morning and evening commutes.
Dropping all services to an entire suburb seems incredibly short sighted to me, and counter to the purpose of public transport.
* Looking at the new network it seems that accessibility has been ignored. Those that benefit are the people who live on the streets along which the new routes run. The emphasis on so-called faster trip times is false - the bus portion of the trip may be faster. The FULL trip time may increase and will certainly be more inconvenient since many people will be walking further to the bus. In my case an extra 10 minutes walk to the stop since my local bus route is gone. Both rapid routes are a fair distance and the slightly closer one is accessed along an unlit bike path. Looking at the network map I think my situation will be echoed by many people. Increases in the distance patrons must walk ignores how this will affect those with a disability, those wrangling young children, those carrying heavy shopping or heavy items, or everyone when there is rain or a heatwave. Having to walk a lot further in the dark increases those problems. Especially if street lighting is absent or inadequate.
Removing local routes that wind through suburbs mean that transit within that suburb is lost, you can no longer get the bus to visit friends or family.. Or if you do it will be walk further to get the rapid route, change at the bus exchange, then probably walk a longer distance from the new rapid stop closest to friends/family. Not a faster full trip is it.
I've been happy with the current hourly service (more frequent in peak times) because it is accessible and convenient. More buses on a rapid route does not make a better service if accessibility and convenience are lost.
This network redesign is badly flawed and should not be implemented in its' current form.
* People in Tuggeranong just want to get where they are going as quickly as possible. I don't care if I can catch a different bus that takes twice as long every hour of the day.
* Is this a skit from Yes Minister?
The TC rep has said: "The current Xpressos have drawbacks – if you happen to miss your Xpresso the choices to get to or from where you’re going may be quite constrained" . Does removing the service altogether creates any restraints?
Yes and "By converting Xpresso routes to rapid services, we can carry more passengers and provide greater travel flexibility". What this really means is TC can carry more passengers (albeit different passengers who live elsewhere) and the greater flexibility really just means you have more buses to catch, more often.
* Looks like you understand. From TC point of view, replacing a service that carries a smaller number of passengers with one that carries more passengers is an increase in efficiency. It is a fact that it will disadvantage some people (including me), however it will advantage more but different people. The XP services are an issue. The one I take is well patronised in the morning, but less so in the afternoon. But even in the mornings I can almost guarantee a seat (and I am at the end of the route). In contrast the times I have taken the Rapid routes, people are almost hanging out of the windows by the time it reaches City. I have certainly complained about it, but I can see their point.
* Not only Tuggeranong residents not happy! As a Chapman resident I will need to take 3 buses to get to and from work in Barton via the Woden Interchange. The alternative is the Rapid from Weston Creek to Barton which does a cook's tour of Woden and south Canberra as well as close to 15 minutes walk in Barton from office to the nearest bus stop. We have gone from 1 bus to 2 in the last reorganistion and now three with this latest "improvement"! The car is looking much more attractive despite parking and other costs.
* I don't know what the Tuggeranong residents are complaining about - the money to pay for the tram has to come from somewhere - and the way this government works where better than from the area furthest away that least benefits from the tram. But then - the tram will provide a lesser service than the equivalent expenditure in buses so service levels for everyone else presumably must deteriorate to the same degree. I am simply thankful that I am retiring and so won't have to commute any more.
* 'Rapid' from Erindale via the Triangle and Russell - another 15 minutes on the trip each way.
Or change to another 'Rapid' in Woden - which is going to be full coming from Tuggeranong as all of the other services south have been funnelled there..
Currently I have multiple options to get to work - any of the Xpresso, or if I miss one there's numerous buses through Erindale to get to Athlon drive to jump a 300 into the city.
Under the new timetable - options = none.
* park and ride Wanniassa. or ride (a bike), leave the bike at the park and ride, and then jump the bus.
* People in Tuggeranong don't matter to the government and they need to cut funds somewhere to pay for the tram and the improvements for northsiders.
Where does Andrew Barr live again?
* Once again anywhere south of the lake is dudded again by the Government. You don't hear Mick Gentleman speaking out for the changes that's because he has never caught public transport. The labor government is punishing south siders simply because more of them voted against labor at the last election.
* It’s not just the south that has been dudded it is everywhere even Gungahlin.
Whilst I support the tram it is only of use for those who live along the route. For those in the Gungahlin suburbs it means a far slower trip, like elsewhere by having to change.
Also the maths doesn’t add up re services to the city. During peak there are currently 20 buses an hour to the city from Gungahlin which are being replaced by 12 trams. And that doesn’t count the buses in the inner north and Karen/Giralang that are being directed to Dickson to change to tram.
Mtheu should leave the peak hour express buses as is but outside of peak hour no issues.
* A change in narrative here. I was of the understanding the tram would fix everything for everyone and we should be justifiably grateful for it given previous comments.
* No change for me. I support the light rail as a method of servicing the corridor that it runs along, but I have never supported nor touted it as a solution for transport from the burbs of Gungahlin. And I am firmly on record in many comments on the Canberra times (and other Canberra news forums) about not supporting light rail elsewhere except maybe through the Parl triangle to Kingston. Though with the new bus network and seeing the rapid structure I do now see the reasoning for the Woden route via Barton and am warming to support it but only on the basis that the R4 remains as an express bus. In which case the second stage should be called the Barton extension not Woden, because again it is about servicing what is in between not what is at each end, which is how the first stage should be run.
I am surprised no one has picked me up on it, but peak hour for the tram is 10 trams p/h, not 12.
* The people making these decisions obviously dont use the buses much if at all and dont live in Tuggeranong, more than likely north of the lake is my guess.
Everything with the buses is driven by the tram, and god help us in the south as it will only continue to get worse.
Why do the blue Rapid stop at all stops and Red rapid dont ?
I find the use of the word Rapid amusing as I though Rapids were meant to be swift moving ha ha ha.
Oh well looks like a drive into the city from next network on, which the Govt will like so they can raise more revenue from parking to continue to waste on this folly of a tram .
* I would like to say one thing, it's an observation that I made when TC was trying to promote this new network at one of their pop up stalls in the city a week or so ago.
A member of the public asked a question from one of TC representatives, about how this new network is an improvement and what criteria is being used to market it as being a better network. TC representative replied that he had been told to promote this new network as better and improved. He does not have any idea as to what the present network looks like or if the new network is an improvement on the present network.
Hearing these comments from a TC representative does not give me much confidence that the Government will listen to the concerns of the public. I think they have already made decisions behind closed doors to bring this "Improved and Better" network into effect.
* Tuggeranong has the highest rate of vehicle theft in the ACT, we just assumed you didn't need more buses.
* Yes, Tuggeranong miss out yet again, but spare a thought for the workers in Hume.
Under the proposed new routes, their one and only public transport connection is being removed in January...no buses to Hume?
* The 4% of travelers stat is actually a positive for the Xpresso services, which apparently make up just 3% of the bus services run. That means they're more utilised than many other services!!!
* Tuggeranong screwed again. Now there's a twist. I wonder if any of the people making these decisions ever catch a bus?
* It’s not just Tuggeranong.
* Xpressos are the most innovative thing that ever happened to Canberra transport. Doing away with them is extremely short sighted, as it is going back to the failed system we've had before when everyone was forced to go to a 'spine'
(interchanges) and transfer to get anywhere at all. Everyone who knows transport knows that transferring is a huge deterrent to using public transport - and this is even more relevant in Canberra because of our extreme heat and cold.
Canberrans value their time over everything else. Xpressos are quick and direct and some should run during the day. as they are a genuine alternative to driving.
However the proposed Rapid routes in Tuggeranong are anything but. They are slow, inaccessible to many, inconvenient and windy.
Can we please have someone who actually knows Tuggeranong revisit the proposed network. I'd rather not get back into my car but if this network gets up I will have to.
* Just to add, that 4% stat quoted is being misused by TC - it actually shows how popular these services are given they only currently operate in a very narrow time window. CT can u get actual data on actual patronage? My Xpresso is always full!
* The espresso service is fantastic. There is little focus on looking after the 8% of patrons who currently support the service.
* The government is setting up Tuggeranong bus users ready for light rail stage 2. If bus commute times have already doubled before construction even starts, then light rail might be able to match them and so longer travel times won't be a negative in the business case.
* Given Woden to the City will increase from 16 minutes to 30 minutes when the light rail comes in.
One can only imagine the carnage for Tuggeranong on the 'direct' route without even considering the spidersweb of outbound services into the suburbs.
* What will the commute times be in 15 years?
* Actually if you look at the planned bus map you will see two routes from Woden. One via Barton and one direct. I would think when light rail comes in the direct bus will stay.
* My reading of the plan is that the Woden to City section of the R5, will be replaced by the train in 2024. So if folk are still catching public transport by then, they'll need to prepared to get off at Woden and catch either the train to the City via Barton or the R4 Rapid. Either way, "You'll be catching More Buses, More Often"
* Correct the R5 is the future tram route. But there is still the R4 from Tuggeranong to the city via Woden which is direct Woden to city.
Actually seeing the new rapid structure makes sense of the Barton routing of the second stage. Serving what is along the corridor is where light rail works. Express as rail needs to be a heavier.
* Maybe but there wil be no designated bus lane. Happy with that?
* Who says? Where are the detailed plans that say the bus lane is going? There is plenty of room on Adelaide Ave for both. And would be easier and cheaper to build light rail on a new alignment rather than re purpose the bus lane.

'Blindsided': Tensions boil over Victorian water heater ban 5 July 2018.
<www.theage.com.au/business/companies/blindsided-tensions-boil-over-victorian-water-heater-ban-20180705-p4zpqh.html>

Is this Brisbane's slowest street? 5 July 2018.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/is-this-brisbane-s-slowest-street-20180705-p4zprr.html>

Energy retailers bracing for Labor royal commission over soaring household power prices. paywalled, with tdu.
Herald Sun July 5, 2018.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/energy-retailers-bracing-for-labor-royal-commission-over-soaring-household-power-prices/news-story/4d6396322b7143ea1a08bc23cf87b983>

Opinion Matt Johnston: Why Libs have a million reasons to doubt policy. 5.7..18.
video: Guy promises $30b road network under Coalition government.
WHEN Matthew Guy announced the Coalition would release land on Melbourne’s fringes for at least 290,000 homes if it wins the November state election, he added this little fact bomb.
That amount of land should be able to house about a million people.
The purpose of the policy, he explained, was to help struggling homebuyers get a leg up.
If there is more land in the supply bank, which developers are currently drip feeding to the market, then there should be more competition and lower prices.
But the danger for Guy is that some people at which this policy is aimed will stop listening after hearing that a million people could be joining them in the outer suburbs.
As Guy quickly moved on to say, this plan is just part of his overall housing package soon to be released, which includes decentralisation and so on.
But leading with this aspect of the overall policy seems a risk.
Labor promised to release 100,000 residential lots last year, in order to ramp up the number of houses in outer growth areas, but it went relatively quiet on that front after the announcement.
Apparently, selling the idea of more people being added to neighbourhoods before there is evidence of more roads, schools and health and community centres for those neighbourhoods is kind of tough.
The purpose of Matthew Guy’s policy, he explained, was to help struggling homebuyers get a leg up.
Most things Guy and his Coalition team are publicly championing at the moment are designed to fit “three Cs” — congestion, crime, and cost of living. The release of land is supposed to fit with the third.
The Urban Development Institute of Australia tried to back it in on Wednesday, but the quote most media grabbed was that it was “music to the development industry’s ears”.
Critics have got stuck into the urban sprawl argument, pointing to middle-suburb density as a solution to affordability woes — a prospect the Liberals ruled out a few weeks ago when it said it would limit density in many established areas.
The Property Council had a bob each way, saying extra supply was great but more was needed.
“We remain extremely concerned with the Opposition’s recent announcement to effectively shut down housing supply in the middle ring of Melbourne,” it said.
When Guy was the planning minister last term, he was known for trying to fast-track processes and get things built. He was one of the few in the coalition team that showed energy. Some criticised him, others applauded the fact things were happening.
The Coalition now needs to show it’s not just “more of the same” from Guy when it comes to the challenges of population.
The Liberals believe decentralisation is a popular idea — that people like the concept of encouraging some people to leave Melbourne and take up a home in the regions.
The danger for Matthew Guy is that some people at which this policy is aimed will stop listening after hearing that a million people could be joining them in the outer suburbs. Picture: AAP But for the people who know what decentralisation means, they are yet to understand how it would work other than maybe send a couple of government departments or agencies to the regions..
Most press releases issued by the coalition promise to “focus on decentralising population to our regions” without much in the way of specifics.
There are many aspects to the housing affordability crisis, and whether our political parties want to acknowledge this or not, a lot of it is sheeted home to the fact we are growing so fast.
More people equates to more competition for houses.
More competition means higher prices.
Then there’s competition for jobs, space on the roads and so on.
While simply jamming the brakes on growth would be folly, it is clear many have this issue front and centre in their minds.
Labor’s core argument is that it is building the infrastructure needed to ease the pressure.
That’s something the Coalition will find it difficult to match, although it is trying.
A few Liberals noticed the letters pages of the Herald Sun on Thursday, after its plan for 290,000 residential housing lots was released.
There’s wasn’t a lot of love from readers. That’s putting it mildly.
But there was also a cavalcade of ideas on how to instead deal with population and cost of living.
There were calls for fast rail to country areas, which would allow people to live in the regions and work where most jobs are.
There were several calls for an immigration slowdown, for changing tax incentives, for sending good jobs to the bush, and fixing infrastructure woes in groaning outer suburbs.
In that one page there’s almost enough to help a political party build an entire election platform.
It also shows the Coalition flipped to the wrong page of its policy book when it talked about housing an extra million people in Melbourne this week.
HOWARD BACKS GUY’S CRIME, CONGESTION FOCUS.
COALITION HOMES IN ON GROWING SUBURBS.
MATTHEW GUY’S $30BN TRIPLE BYPASS.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/matt-johnston-why-libs-have-a-million-reasons-to-doubt-policy/news-story/fa2517df1415d777cf21ab8a5a47837c>

State's solar and wind energy boom could power every home for a year 5 July 2018. 29 comments.
<www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/state-s-solar-and-wind-energy-boom-could-power-every-home-for-a-year-20180705-p4zps0.html>

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