Related Policies
Policy
Prioritise the most ecologically sustainable and congestion-free public and private transport systems.
Policy Methods (Federal & State)
To help achieve this Sustainable Australia Party will:
- Lower the cost of urban, regional and rural public transport by at least 50 per cent
- Expand and improve state-based rail and/or bus networks, in preference to building more roads(1)
"According to the Royal College of Physicians the early deaths of around 29,000 people in the UK each year are linked to particle pollution, which is more than the 23,500 premature deaths attributed to nitrogen dioxide." BBC News
- Build better and safer bicycle networks
- Build better and safer pedestrian infrastructure
- Encourage transport-sharing schemes, including cars
- While prioritising public transport systems, support the uptake of electric vehicles and related infrastructure
- Reduce registration fees for electric and smaller cars
- Improve the safety and efficiency of the road system, particularly in regional and rural Australia
- Upgrade Australia's freight rail infrastructure in order to boost national productivity and remove truck journeys from our roads
- Fully assess the viability of interstate high speed train opportunities. Importantly, this should be based on the assumption of stabilising Australia's population as soon as practicable
- Oppose second major airports in any of Australia’s eight capital cities
- Stabilise Australia’s population size as soon as practicable (also see Population & immigration (Australia) policy)(2)
- Conduct an enquiry into the feasibility of a majority Australian-owned electric car company. An initial objective would include the potential mass production, for Australia and potential export, of a small-to-medium utilitarian electric commuter car for urban use
"If Australia has any hope of achieving net zero emissions by 2050...a transition to electric would be required in a space of about 10 years – a feat that requires a plan." The Guardian
Footnotes:
- Transport projects including light rail should not use urban property development infill and related population growth modelling to underpin business cases, as the new residents undermine gains in per capita service delivery.
- Reducing population growth pressures combined with providing better public transport will relieve road congestion.