ACT ACT Election- Today

[Howard Littlejohn]

Light rail takes more people per trip than a bus, and is cheaper than to operate than heavy rail. Canberra certainly will not be big enough for heavy rail for a long time, nor (without subway) is there anywhere to put the tracks.
I'm not convinced light rail is right, given the low density of Canberra, but heavy rail is certainly not going to work and the bus system is reaching breaking point.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Go the Sex Party Steven Bailey is their best shot... he's a serial candidate, so he's actually got the beginnings of a public profile to work with.

And their corflutes are much more enticing than the usual garbage!

 

[Mr Eagle]

Oh, and the ACT Electoral Cmsn needs a new web server.

 

[Fire]

Canberra certainly will not be big enough for heavy rail for a long time, nor (without subway) is there anywhere to put the tracks.

Here's a uni students attempt ^^

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...1VTAAh0l985dxPn3A&sig2=SL6_4PRlIAQ3k6MsCfxwEg

 

[DEVO]

Here's a uni students attempt ^^

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...1VTAAh0l985dxPn3A&sig2=SL6_4PRlIAQ3k6MsCfxwEg

It's an interesting attempt, but it bypasses one of Canberra's major business hubs, Woden.

 

[DEVO]

Hansen congratulates Barr. The Libs concede.

 

[igon value]

Heavy rail is essential for cities greater than a million people, and Canberra is not going to get to that size anytime soon, if at all.
Light rail is great for us, it allows us to build high density corridors in and around the major centres (Northbourne Avenue, the City, and eventually Woden, Belconnen and Tuggeranong) which will help with population growth, and building a stronger and more robust economy. At least that is what the studies say about other cities that have built light rail networks.

Yeah except Canberrans in general are mortally opposed to higher density. Look at the struggle the government had to demolish shitbox apartments from the 50s that no one wants to live in. There are still quarter acre blocks within 500m of the CBD that will never be redeveloped because of "heritage"

Canberra has a long record of building white elephants: futsal slab, Canberra Stadium, the single lane GDE that had to be duplicated after a year.

Light rail will be another disaster.

 

[igon value]

It's an interesting attempt, but it bypasses one of Canberra's major business hubs, Woden.

Woden is a wasteland. Is Mick Gentleman still trying to turn it into a hipster precinct?

 

[DEVO]

Yeah except Canberrans in general are mortally opposed to higher density. Look at the struggle the government had to demolish shitbox apartments from the 50s that no one wants to live in. There are still quarter acre blocks within 500m of the CBD that will never be redeveloped because of "heritage"

Canberra has a long record of building white elephants: futsal slab, Canberra Stadium, the single lane GDE that had to be duplicated after a year.

Light rail will be another disaster.

Having lived in Canberra for 40 years I woud say that was the case 20 years ago, but that has been changing and changing rather rapidly. There are definately parts of Canberra where people don't want to see high density housing, but there are areas closer to the city around Braddon, and the other hubs in Woden and Belconnen where we have been increasing the number of apartments being built and they have re-invigorated the local areas, especially Braddon. We are happy to see higher density housing in these areas.

As for the eyesores on Northbourne Avenue, everybody other than historical society (or whatever these idiots call themselves) what to see them gone and gone tomorrow. They are the ugliest looking buildings in Australia and need to be torndown ASAP.

 

[DEVO]

Woden is a wasteland. Is Mick Gentleman still trying to turn it into a hipster precinct?

Woden is going through a bit of a rebuild at the moment, with plans to upgrade the shopping centre, there are a couple of old buildings to be torndown, and a redesign of bus depot as well as a couple of other projects. There are also a number apartment buildings currently being built and a few more comming over the next 5-10 years. It needs a better and more direct connection to the city, because there does appear to be a genuine disconnect between North and South.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Labor Club's a rockin'.

 

[Mr Eagle]

because there does appear to be a genuine disconnect between North and South.

I blame that pesky lake.

 

[DEVO]

I blame that pesky lake.

I quite like the Grif, the only problem though is whenever we get a bit of rain, it fills with Queanbeyan turds.

 

[Mr Eagle]

I quite like the Grif, the only problem though is whenever we get a bit of rain, it fills with Queanbeyan turds.

I like running around the central and east basins, but we all know it's just a facade for Defence's top secret underground base...

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I like running around the central and east basins, but we all know it's just a facade for Defence's top secret underground base...

We all know ...... That does seem like a Defence or ASIO "top secret".

 

[Ice-Wolf]

We all know ...... That does seem like a Defence or ASIO "top secret".

It was until Tony Abbott sat in on a confidential briefing where it was discussed.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Seriously though, a 3.3% backslide for the Libs is a shocker of a result.

 

[igon value]

Having lived in Canberra for 40 years I woud say that was the case 20 years ago, but that has been changing and changing rather rapidly. There are definately parts of Canberra where people don't want to see high density housing, but there are areas closer to the city around Braddon, and the other hubs in Woden and Belconnen where we have been increasing the number of apartments being built and they have re-invigorated the local areas, especially Braddon. We are happy to see higher density housing in these areas.

As for the eyesores on Northbourne Avenue, everybody other than historical society (or whatever these idiots call themselves) what to see them gone and gone tomorrow. They are the ugliest looking buildings in Australia and need to be torndown ASAP.

Pro-tip: the head of the National Trust that opposed the knock down of the eyesores lives in Bungendore.

Woden is going through a bit of a rebuild at the moment, with plans to upgrade the shopping centre, there are a couple of old buildings to be torndown, and a redesign of bus depot as well as a couple of other projects. There are also a number apartment buildings currently being built and a few more comming over the next 5-10 years. It needs a better and more direct connection to the city, because there does appear to be a genuine disconnect between North and South.

I lived in an apartment in Woden for four years, the only thing growing there is the cemetery. The only (literally the only) pub closed down four years ago and the space is still vacant, the Smoque BBQ joint failed so bad it sent the CBD outlet under. That was about all it had going for it. Back in the day it had the Green Room and a few other amenities for young folk. Now it's the (continually expanding) Hellenic or Southern Cross Clubs. Only gambling palaces make money in Canberra. Woden is a hopeless dead zone.

Weston Creek is still woefully under catered for, and the less said about Tuggeranong the better.

I grew up in Canberra and have returned on and off for work for years. The centre of the city and Braddon has improved in that time but the rest of the city has gone backwards. No one catches buses, and no one will catch trams.

I admire what Andrew Barr has tried to achieve (will always love his calling out of NIMBYs trying to preserve their museums to childhood), I agree with him abolishing stamp duty in favour of higher rates, but the tram is a non starter because of the culture of the city. It will be an albatross around the neck of it.

Anyway, good on him for winning. Hopefully he has to deal less with the moron Greens.

 

[Maggie5]

Deep soul searching for the Libs, back to the drawing board.
If this is reflected in WA elections, where to next?

 

[igon value]

I quite like the Grif, the only problem though is whenever we get a bit of rain, it fills with Queanbeyan turds.

The problem with the lake is that as a man made structure, no other man made structures are allowed to be built near it, because it would ruin its natural beauty.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Deep soul searching for the Libs, back to the drawing board.
If this is reflected in WA elections, where to next?

I don't think the ACT result has much impact really. WA could, as it has been a Lib stronghold recently even if not as much last time.
Canberra is a different place in many respects, and Labor is the natural party of government here. Although people are likely to vote Labor federally and Liberal locally, as federal government is tied to job security.

Howard used the "wall-to-wall state government" line effectively at federal level. I can see Turnbull, Bishop, Abbott, Christensen, Pyne, whoever the leader is doing so again even if its not quite the case at the next federal election.

I am surprised the swing on primaries was against the Libs though. And that, like in Tassie, the attempt by the two majors to squeeze out minors including the Greens seems to have backfired.

 

[Gough]

I suspect that one of the factors in the Abbott decline was he thought he'd have wall to wall Liberal state governments within six months of taking office. Negotiation never being one of his strengths, it would have made his job a lot easier.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

I suspect that one of the factors in the Abbott decline was he thought he'd have wall to wall Liberal state governments within six months of taking office. Negotiation never being one of his strengths, it would have made his job a lot easier.

That, and being, well, himself.

 

[DEVO]

Pro-tip: the head of the National Trust that opposed the knock down of the eyesores lives in Bungendore.

Thanks, I couldn't remember that name. I was about 98% certain they lived outside Canberra but wasn't absolutely sure, which is why I didn't mention it.

I lived in an apartment in Woden for four years, the only thing growing there is the cemetery. The only (literally the only) pub closed down four years ago and the space is still vacant, the Smoque BBQ joint failed so bad it sent the CBD outlet under. That was about all it had going for it. Back in the day it had the Green Room and a few other amenities for young folk. Now it's the (continually expanding) Hellenic or Southern Cross Clubs. Only gambling palaces make money in Canberra. Woden is a hopeless dead zone.

Hopefully all the millions the ACT Government are pumping into the Woden precinct will have some benefits.

Weston Creek is still woefully under catered for, and the less said about Tuggeranong the better.

Agree 100%. Tuggeranong and Weston Creek are dead, or at least on life support and need a great deal of investment and support.

I grew up in Canberra and have returned on and off for work for years. The centre of the city and Braddon has improved in that time but the rest of the city has gone backwards. No one catches buses, and no one will catch trams.

I catch the bus from Tuggeranong (6.30am) into the city every morning and it's always standing room only. There are a lot of people who complain about the bus network, and in most instances their only reason is because its a 5 minute walk to bus stop and the bus only comes every 30 minutes. The buses aren't too bad in Canberra, just over stretched for a city approaching 400,000 citizens. I think the Tram could be a good thing for Canberra, but they probably shoud have started with the Woden-Civic route.

 

[Pie eyed]

Easy Labor win in the end.
Big losers were the Libs losing 3.3 percent of their last vote despite having the "very" divisive "light rail" issue to actually bolster their vote.