2019-04-17
Decades of Greens advocacy for light rail will be realised as stage one gets underway, marking a major milestone in the Greens’ efforts to deliver a modern, sustainable vision for Canberra.
“For decades, the Greens saw the potential in light rail as a realistic, viable option for Canberra that would benefit our city environmentally, socially and economically,” ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said today.
“It took decades of Greens advocacy for the major parties to get on board. From the time of our first election in the Territory, back in 1995, we campaigned for light rail, and our first Greens MLAs were elected to the Assembly that same year.
“For decades, we saw Labor go back and forth on light rail. As former colleague Amanda Bresnan described it, it was like a time warp – with Labor Ministers rolling out before every election to promise action on light rail studies, without delivering actual light rail.
“It wasn’t until our 2012 balance of power agreement that we were able to commit the Government to ‘the construction of a light rail network’, with ‘a target date for the laying of tracks for the first route commencing in 2016’.
“Light rail is proof positive of what can be realised with Greens in Government, pulling Labor in the right direction on the issues that matter most.
“It may’ve been decades in the making, but we’ll see the full benefit of light rail over decades to come,” Mr Rattenbury added.
How did we get here?
- In 1995, the ACT Greens’ campaigned for a “detailed feasibility study, including environmental and social benefits, of a light rail system… (that would) operate between the town centres (giving priority to Gungahlin).”
- That year, Kerrie Tucker and Lucy Horodny were the first Greens MLAs elected to the Legislative Assembly.
- In 1995, then Chief Minister Carnell equivocates on light rail, noting “the option of having light rail between Gungahlin and Civic… (as) an issue of strong interest to the Greens”.
- In 1997, the ACT Greens issue a Transport Strategy that again advocates for light rail.
- In 2002, a Greens motion in the Assembly saw that “Gungahlin would not be forgotten”, ensuring that any future study of light rail included the regional centre.
- In 2004, the ACT Greens transport policy includes “establishing (a) light rail connection between Gungahlin and Civic, along Northbourne Avenue.”
- In 2010, the ACT Greens release our proposed Light Rail Network, across three stages – including the current stage one Gungahlin to Civic route.
- In late 2010, yet another study finds that “a well-designed (light rail) system in Canberra could prove to be a worthwhile investment”, reducing our carbon footprint and improving transport.
- In 2012, the ACT Greens launch a major election commitment to realise a light rail public transport system built in Canberra. This commitment included funding to commence the first stage of light rail, and funding for a detailed design of a Canberra-wide light rail network.
- By 2012, despite years of discussions, submissions and investigations, the major parties had yet refused to back a light rail proposal. “Now that there is a plan on the table, the lip-service can end: the other parties need to say if they support light rail, or if they don’t,” Greens MLA Amanda Bresnan said at the time.
- After years of advocacy, balance of power arrangements following the 2012 election changed the state of play in ACT politics. The Greens, through our Parliamentary Agreement, then committed the ALP to delivering ‘the construction of a light rail network’, with ‘a target date for the laying of tracks for the first route commencing in 2016’.
- The 2016 Parliamentary Agreement between the Greens and Labor committed the Government to begin design and scoping for stage 2 to Woden.
- On 20 April 2019, after many decades of Greens advocacy, stage one of light rail will finally be realised – cementing the Greens’ ongoing leadership in delivering a modern, sustainable light rail option for Canberra.