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Get on Board

  • April 27, 2016

Get on Board

Over six years ago, in 2010, the NSW Greens released a well researched and comprehensive report to “take the next step toward a more liveable, socially inclusive and sustainable community” by putting light rail at the epicenter of urban mobility.

The report was entitled “Light Rail in Australia – Get on Board” and the Greens did exactly that. They quickly became the chief advocates for expanding light rail networks across Australia
.
Everywhere but Newcastle, that is.

In Newcastle, the Greens stubbornly refused to “get on board” with the light rail renaissance so enthusiastically embraced by their comrades sitting in Macquarie Street.

In Newcastle, the Greens dismissed the professional advice of their own city planners and turned a blind eye to world’s best practice in urban renewal and transport infrastructure.

As late as November last year, they were still acting against the advice of Council’s Director of Planning, asking fellow Councillors to support rezoning of the old corridor to allow for the eventual return of rail services. 

Not only was their policy discredited, their politics were roundly criticized for not following the intent or spirit of the MOU.

Fast forward to last month and we find Councillor’s Osborne and Doyle continuing to throw rocks at the process and play petty politics.

In their Newcastle Herald opinion piece published on March 22, they claimed Council was “yet to consider any detailed report or recommendations” from the community engagement program.

In fact, it’s a matter of public record that on December 1 last year, UrbanGrowth NSW briefed Councillors on the engagement outcomes.

The following Monday, December 7 2015, the full Community Engagement Report was publicly released.

And at the Council meeting 24 hours later, on December 8, UrbanGrowth NSW presented the report, along with outcomes of the community consultation.

Now it seems the Greens have missed another report – the one from two years ago which announced the route for Stage One of the Newcastle Light Rail Project – and are now calling for a review to be undertaken. 

Two years after the route was announced and in the midst of enabling infrastructure being delivered, the Greens are prepared to turn off the city’s $1.25 billion investment pipeline and spend ratepayers’ money on another consultant’s report. 

Thankfully, positive signs are beginning to emerge. The Greens have now switched their point of attack to why the NSW Government has not yet committed to extending the light rail network to key destinations such as Broadmeadow and Callaghan.

Perhaps they are on-board with light rail after all.