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Other Parliamentary SpeechesThis page is dedicated to Peter's speeches during parliament that do not fall under Questions or Questions without notice. They range from debating legislation, reporting on events or issues in his seat of Southport and his Ministerial Statements.
Transport and other Legislation Amendment Bill |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on May 20 2004 |
| Other Speeches >> |
Can I say how amused I was when listening to the new member for Moggill last Thursday when he was speaking on the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Bill. Amongst other things he referred to--
the lack of interest and the inactivity of the present state government in addressing even in a planning sense the major problems that confront and frustrate urban residents in our state.
Later on he referred to--
Years of neglect of transport infrastructure.
I was amused because one of the most irresponsible transport decisions in Queensland history was made by the Coalition government in 1966, a glaring example of lack of planning and foresight, and that was the decision to rip up the Gold Coast rail line. The decision was made by a Liberal transport minister, Sir Gordon Chalk, and the rail line was ripped up with such indecent haste that a locomotive was left at Coolangatta and had to be dismantled and transported to Brisbane by road. Then the National-Liberal government in typical white-shoe brigade fashion proceeded to flog off the land corridor mainly to their mates. It took a Beattie Labor government 30 years to reinstate this service and at great expense because of the resumptions that were required. During the term of this government we will duplicate that service at a cost of $247 million.
Another reason that the Gold Coast suffers from such horrendous traffic problems can be traced to another decision by the Coalition government in the early 1970s. A ring-road system had been designed for the Gold Coast in the late 1960s and the land resumptions were progressing, but the resumptions included some of Sir Bruce Small's land at Benowa. When he was elected to this state parliament in 1972 he used his influence to have that project shelved. The resumed land was then disposed of and a unique opportunity to plan for the transport needs of a rapidly growing Gold Coast was lost forever.
Every resident of and visitor to the Gold Coast is now paying for the Liberal and National parties' lack of foresight and lack of courage to make a tough decision. It is also interesting that the two people at the centre of these decisions were knights of the realm. But, of course, in those heady days of the Coalition--the robber baron days--if you were far enough up the political food chain you could get a knighthood for yourself. If you were not far enough up the political food chain you could buy one by making a substantial donation to the National and/or the Liberal Party. Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 12:00 AM
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