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Goodna Bypass RIP

Local opposition to the Goodna Bypass 2007. The Rudd government promised as part of its election campaign to scrap the Goodna Bypass and upgrade the Ipswich motorway.

Greens in Moggill

I'm Philip Machanick, and I'm your Greens candidate in the next state election.

I don't believe people choose to live in the outer suburbs because they like traffic, but because they like the semi-rural life and the small-town feel of this kind of neighbourhood. For this reason, I believe there are better solutions to traffic than building more roads. What are these solutions? Kenmore High School is bursting at the seams. Put a new high school in at Bellbowrie, and a good fraction of school-related traffic on Moggill Road will disappear. Put in a comprehensive school bus system that will not leave children stranded at the side of the road, and you get rid of most of the rest of the school-related traffic. Add in entertainment, as well as professional and public services close to home, and fewer people need to travel.

Then there's the Greens plan to put in a light rail system, and park and ride to connect to existing bus services, and you really can live in the outer suburbs without spending half your life in unpleasant traffic. This could be done for a fraction of the cost of the tunnels being put in around Brisbane, which will have the effect of encouraging more people to use cars.

I would also like to see safe bike paths everywhere, not just paint on a road that does nothing to separate you from traffic. They have this right in distant, exotic places like Copenhagen and http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=70&pa=1154&pg=3476" target="_blank" title="Copenhagen bike lanes in Melbourne">Melbourne.

What of traditional Greens concerns like climate change? I'm on top of the science, with over 25 years in academia (computer science PhD, with a second major in physics in my BSc), and understand the need to phase in alternatives gradually, rather than wait until we have no choice but to move fast in the face of environmental catastrophe.

Closer to home, I am keen to support local environmental initiatives like catchment groups. One of the great features of Brisbane life is the amazing wildlife all around us. Let's not throw all that away, and turn our great little city into another LA, dedicated to the cult of the car to exclusion of all elses.

Most of all, I want to move away from the old politics approach of telling you what's good for you. I want to hear your ideas. I will be watching here but if you want to talk directly, mosey over to my http://greenupmoggill.org/" target="_blank" title="Green Up Moggill">web site.

My website is: http://greenupmoggill.org/

Kenmore Bypass

Kenmore Bypass - Your Say?

It has been announced that the Kenmore Bypass proposal will now go to a full feasibility and community consultation.

Your chance to have a say ends 26-5-08!

If our community doesn’t answer the call to make comment you can be certain nothing will happen.

That is why you need to have your say at : http://moggill.net