World Car Free Day

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (15:49): I rise to speak on the topic of World Car Free Day. Today is globally recognised as World Car Free Day. I want to reflect on the action being taken by the state government to reduce our reliance on cars, so obviously this will be a very short speech because we know they are doing very little indeed. I have spoken previously about the failure to show leadership in the City of Adelaide and the government's #GoToTown campaign, which focused exclusively on going to town by car, through the provision of free car parking in partnership with the Adelaide City Council.

Today, I want to talk about some of the opportunities that have been missed in the Adelaide Hills. Earlier, I asked a question without notice of the Treasurer, the minister representing the Minister for Transport, on the question of the park-and-ride site in Bridgewater, which, as has been noted by the South Australian Transport Action Group and the Stirling Business Association, has now been turned over for private development and made available to a private investor.

This is just one of a number of examples where this government has failed to actually invest in alternatives to car travel and to encourage public transport infrastructure. I spent the weekend in Mount Barker, doorknocking and talking to residents there. One of the issues that was raised with me consistently was the failure of the state government to appropriately invest in public transport infrastructure. Where is the consideration for park-and-ride services? Where is the plan for a passenger rail service to that area? Where has been the long-term consideration by governments, both Labor and Liberal, over a long period of time for public infrastructure?

We have a planning system that serves the interests of large developers and allows those developers to construct buildings and build neighbourhoods to suit their whims but totally disregards the needs of the community. It does not consider their views and it does not ensure that appropriate infrastructure is put in place. Really, we need to see that being front and centre for future development. So more money for public transport infrastructure is essential, but so is more consideration of the needs of the community when it comes to planning.

The issues in Mount Barker really are the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of communities in South Australia that have been neglected when it comes to public transport investment. Indeed, the area where I grew up in the southern suburbs is a case in point. When I was a kid there used to be one bus, the 218, that would take you straight from the south into the CBD and now you have to take several buses to get there, and I know that many residents in that area find that to be a significant disincentive.

If we want to get to a situation where we are reducing reliance on car travel and encouraging green alternatives, then we really need to invest in public transport, and that is an issue that I intend to continue to promote, not only on World Car Free Day today but into the future as well.