Cost-of-Living Politics: How Sustainable is Policy Momentum for Affordable Public Transport?

The AIM Network

9 months ago

By Denis Bright

In Australia’s motorized society, most householders still turn their ignition keys as a reflexive response to their transport needs. Transport black spots are particularly evident in outer metro districts of Brisbane and adjacent regional areas. These localities attract householders in search of more affordable housing prices and lower rents. There would be similar examples in the other states and territories. The examples from Queensland strengthen the case for similar campaigns interstate and are not meant to promote parochial agendas from the Deep North.

In Queensland, quite legitimate allocation of government financial support for integrated public transport still attracts only 6.2 percent of commuters on their journeys to work in Brisbane according to the latest estimates from Translink. Queensland Government subsidies cover 83 percent of the running costs of Translink services according to Michael Berkman, the state member for the inner western electorate of Maiwar. This electorate is well served by regular train, bus and Citycat river services within the Translink network. The transport available to outer metro and nearby regional areas does not offer similar luxurious transport infrastructure.

Even with the concessions available for Go Card use after eight journeys in a week, travel costs for commutes offset many of the savings from the selection of more distant residential addresses. It costs a notch under sixty dollars a week to travel by train from Karalee to Brisbane by making use of the extensive car-parking facilities at Dinmore Station, just a few kilometres away.

A bus trip from Karalee, Chuwar or Barellan Point by bus into Brisbane’s CBD could not be generated on Translink’s online journey planner. There are no bus services from Karalee or adjacent suburbs to by the road link through Karana Downs.

The outer metro suburb of Karalee is just across the Brisbane River from Moggill. There is no direct road link for cars or buses across the river. From Moggill, buses operate every fifteen minutes to the Brisbane CBD. Buses from the Ipswich area could operate a limited express service into the Brisbane CBD. Collapsing existing bus routes from Yamanto to Ipswich CBD then onto Karalee Turnoff, Karana Downs and into Brisbane CBD is also another possibility as a limited express service. Buses from Beaudesert and Logan City currently operate into the Brisbane CBD and are quite popular with commuters.

These logical options are bipartisan plans which are highly compatible with the Climate Council’s suggestions for sustainable transport. Political forces are at work to dampen commitments to integrated public transport. The results of the recent Ipswich West by-election on 16 March 2024, show how populist electioneering strategies with Tough on Crime Agendas can easily trump legitimate concerns about the environmental costs of a motorized society as presented in the latest carbon emissions data (Department of Climate Change: DCCEEW Emission Profiles 2005-30).

Planning controls on the clearing of forests and rural landscapes show up positively in controls on land clearing in this profile (LULUCF profiles).

Metro Brisbane has an extensive electrified rail system as part of the broader Translink network with supporting buses and frequent Citycat river services. The Cross River Rail Project (CRR) should be up and running by 2025 with additional support from the Brisbane Council’s Metro Bus System. However, for residents in outer metro areas and nearby regional areas like the Lockyer Valley, the costs and inconvenience of public transport combine to reinforce more private car use.

Public transport assets in SEQ are heavily invested in the electrified Queensland Rail Network which is supported by Translink buses, Citycat river services and light rail networks on the Gold Coast.

Translink supports bus services in regional areas through subsidies to urban networks and even regional commercial services beyond towns and cities.

By chance, even some regional bus networks are quite accessible to tourists who seek exotic destinations. This is the case with Trans North Buses in the Cairns Hinterland. Frequent travellers’ passes could add a hop-on and off dimensions to these routes for both locals and for tourists during the cooler months.

Despite the challenges imposed by the tyranny of distance to North-West Queensland, bus services do operate between Cairns and Normanton three times a week. A new tourist loop from Normanton to Burketown, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) Gorge, Mt. Isa and Cloncurry could be added for the winter tourist season with the support of state government subsidies.

Transport-oriented projects (TODs) delivered by the corporate sector or even the Queensland Government’s own Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) might ease the financial burden on the state government for future co-investment in the extension of new transport and community development initiatives.

While much of the QIC’s infrastructure and real estate portfolios are in Queensland or in other Australian locations, there are also lucrative investments in overseas locations. Capital gains from these ventures helped to generate $4.1 billion in profits using data from the latest annual report from QIC. The QIC has just sold its 50-year lease on CampusParc at Ohio State University which was purchased for $US 200 million in 2012 and just sold for $US 850 million (Bloomberg 7 March 2024).

Meanwhile, back in town, Translink’s kangaroo mascots have been talking up the value of affordable public transport.

The most logical option is to move towards free public transport within the Translink networks.

This would at least reduce dependence on the US corporate firm Cubic with its global networks for electronic fare collection and technological support for US Global Military Alliances.

Staying with commitment to integrated public transport is a worthwhile public policy. Those old-school commitments to unplanned urban sprawl will take decades of innovative planning to extinguish.

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Denis Bright (pictured) is a financial member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA). Denis is committed to consensus-building in these difficult times. Your feedback from readers advances the cause of citizens’ journalism. Full names are not required when making comments. However, a valid email must be submitted if you decide to hit the Replies Button.