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Ivan is acutely aware that the public transport system in South Australia is failing and is in need of a major upgrade. Every form of public transport – trains, buses and trams are suffering from continual problems resulting in South Australia having the poorest passenger transport user rate in Australia.
In April 2008 Ivan moved a motion that the Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Committee inquire into the current and future public transport needs for South Australia. In particular, that the enquiry covers the development of an efficient and integrated public transport system incorporating all forms of public transport and necessary infrastructure improvements. Ivan also called for the enquiry to examine the needs of the metropolitan and outer metropolitan regions with regard to public transport and the opportunities and impediments to increasing the public transport system. The private members motion passed and the ERD Committee heard witnesses and received submissions during June 2009. The information will now be collated and any further research undertaken by Professor Michael Taylor, Dr Nicholas Holyoak and Professor Derek Scrafton from the Institute for Sustainable Systems and Technologies at the University of South Australia; in order to produce a comprehensive report into South Australia’s public transport system.
Ivan strongly believes that the current public transport system in South Australia is sub standard and is in need of a complete revolution in infrastructure. Ivan trusts that this enquiry by the ERD Committee will establish the requirements of South Australian residents in relation to public transport infrastructure and ensure that taxpayer funded revenue and government funds are spent on upgrading and implementing public transport infrastructure that would benefit the South Australia community, both metropolitan and country, and that all South Australians will have something long lasting into the future for our tax dollars. He hopes that, as a result of the ERD Committee undertaking an enquiry into the needs of the state with regard to public transport, some action will be forthcoming from the Government.
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