Following Public Message on Public Infrastructure in the Lead Up to 2024 BCC and Queensland Elections, I have had a few conversations and enlightening feedback. One conversation was with a colleague and friend who described the Brisbane City Council (BCC)’s bus over rail policy in the observation that the state government is responsible for rail. The following is my response.
Indeed. Whether that has something to do with the current policies of BCC, one can speculate. But the point is that the Brisbane Council did have a rail system, a light rail system, as in the tramways, until 1969.
Busways then (over some decades) became the new policy. As the LGAs, Gold Coast (developing) and the Sunshine Coast (plans) turn to light rail, the BCC have put “all eggs” into the Metro system. The Council is also banking on the success of the State’s Albert Street underground rail system.
Missing, as you (my friend), have explained in the past, are de-centralised hubs which create the type of traffic pathways that link, very well in frequent services, on both the radius and circular routes.
The issue here is the failure in the thinking and planning over the decades, and how politicians have got in the way of sensible and intelligent decision making, and I know how much you love politicians, friends. What is going on is that the big picture and critical thinkers have been ignored in these planning regimes for opportunism. There are not the alleged contradictions between having big visions and being academically skeptical for the purpose of improvement. Instead, what we have is particular politician and folkish populist verbal attacks for the vicious culture-history war. There are too many politicians who try and divide the community, the society, in this way.
Well, no, more. In the upcoming Brisbane Council and Queensland elections, ask your local candidates for their big vision and how they will be a critical thinker for improving and applying the vision. And vote accordingly. Use your educated judgement.
There is unfortunately a cynicism out in the community, and society. The State of Affair is corruption and a dystopian vision. Well, that is the State of Affairs: a philosophical term which means the actual situation without judgement for changing the state of affair. What is, is not necessarily what will be. Change occurs, even as imperfect.
I am calling for folk to have big picture vision and critical thinking. It is time for folks to grow up and stop allowing politicians to treat them like “children”. In general, we are an educated population, and each person should act accordingly.
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Neville Buch
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