Yesterday, the State Member for Moggill was again advocating for the Kenmore Bypass in Parliament and the need and right to use pre-existing transport corridors for the freeway. No doubt, he means the whole corridor from Karalee through to the Centenary Highway, like his mate, the Deputy Premier. If they both want to build the Western Bypass through the middle of the western suburbs (now via Centenary Highway), let them both campaign together on it. Thanks again to Ronan Lee for his support for local residents, for taxpayers and finding solutions.
- As taxpayers, we have a right to ensure our money is spent wisely
- As commuters, we have a right to ensure transport solutions make real improvements, not waste our money.
- As local residents, we have a right to expect our local member should hold the Government accountable
- As local residents, we have the right to expect our local member to help residents as local property searches haven’t revealed the extent of the Kenmore Bypass, and should be taking it up with the Government
- As Queenslanders, we have the right to expect our Government to stand by their statements regarding our environment and specifically protection of our state fauna emblem, Koalas.
At over half a billion dollars, to cut four minutes off peak trips, one minute off off-peak trips for about 4,500 return trips to the city, at the cost to the health and wellbeing of almost 4000 people, when there are better alternatives, we have every RIGHT to demand quick, better and cheaper alternatives. We have every RIGHT to demand decent representation. Do this on our Actions page.
It is even more ironic that the Deputy Premier made these comments after sending our group an email the day before stating he was considering Ric Nattrass’s report on the presence of koalas in the corridor and their habitat would be clear felled.
WHAT WAS SAID IN PARLIAMENT YESTERDAY:
FLEGG:
The member for Callide spoke about the rights of pre-existing businesses. Another example that comes under this category is pre-existing transport corridors, such as the Kenmore bypass. The corridor is on the books, but people who subsequently have come to the area do not want to see that corridor used for the purpose for which it was set aside. In that setting, we already have provision for a notice to be placed through property searches. But it is important that people realise that, whether it is a transport corridor set aside for use by the whole community or whether it is a pre-existing business that predated the development, the owners or the other residents of those areas have rights.
RONAN LEE:
I want to address fairly quickly a couple of comments made by the member for Moggill about residents concerned about the proposed Kenmore bypass. I do not want to put words in the mouth of the member for Moggill, but I think he suggested that residents were being a little bit unreasonable, having lived close to what was a preserved transport corridor and now finding that there is a major road proposal. I think it is important to note that there are folk living in the suburb of Indooroopilly who are more than one kilometre away from the preserved road corridor for the Kenmore bypass who are being told that their home will be bulldozed to construct the roads. It is not just a case of folk who have moved into a suburb and they got a slightly cheaper property because it was backing onto a road corridor. We are often seeing some significant consequences for people who live in many cases quite a long way away from these proposed constructions.
I agree with the member for Moggill’s suggestions for park ‘n’ rides. I want to put on record today the desperate need for a park ‘n’ ride at the Indooroopilly Railway Station. I have spoken in this place many times in the past about this issue. There is vacant land that was being used by contractors engaged by Queensland Rail for the upgrade of the railway station. It was the site office. It was parking for all sorts of construction vehicles and staff private vehicles during the construction phase. It is currently fenced off and no-one is using it. It is an ideal location for a community car park at Indooroopilly and it should simply be built immediately.
LUCAS:
The member for Moggill, beside the issue of building design, raised the issue of the Kenmore Bypass. He is right about that. The Kenmore bypass is marked on a map very clearly so that people understand there is a planned bypass through there. No-one should make any mistake about that. The member for Moggill is quite consistent on that. The member for Indooroopilly should understand that these things actually have to be built to protect communities and to allow for growth and allow for some sort of livability in that Kenmore area. Are the shops in Kenmore or Moggill?
FLEGG: Kenmore.
LUCAS: They are marked clearly on the map. I think people have a fair enough complaint when something is suddenly foisted upon them without proper planning, but if it is marked there for years it is really difficult to see how someone can then complain about the situation.
SOME MYTHS AND FACTS
Myth: Main Roads own the corridor - they should be able to do whatever they like.
Fact: Main Roads own less than half of the corridor, having to resume around 90 homes and over 100,000 square metres of land.
Myth: It is clearly marked on the map.
Fact: UBD directories have only carried a map of the transportation corridor since 2007, after PR consultants advised the Government to do this. Brisways and Google still don’t have the Kenmore Bypass marked on them..
Myth: Property searches reveal the presence of the corridor.
Fact: Property searches only reveal the presence of the corridor if Main Roads have made public that they may resume some of your land or it is adjacent to it generally. E.g. the single working mother of three, who is immediately opposite the corridor, whose property search reveals ‘Main Roads has no interest in your land’; E. g. the young man who purchased a home in FTP in May 2008, 2 kilometres from the corridor, whose property search reveals ‘Main Roads has no interest in your land’, only to find the Main Roads pre-feasibility study said the home would need to be resumed (report dated September 2007).
Myth: The road will improve the livability of the area.
Fact: With just under 4000 people living in the Main Roads identified ‘impact area’, suffering from impacts such as noise, reduced air quality (and associated disease), and run the area down…
Myth: This will allow for growth.
Fact: The regional plan, only shows grow of 6% across twenty years. Does the Minister for Planning have other designs on this area he is not sharing with us? Is this part of the SEQ Regional Plan review?
Myth: This is a local road.
Fact: At 4 lanes, 80 km/h, motorway standard, this road is designed to connect to other motorways (namely the Warrego and Centenary Highways). This is a part of the State Government’s western bypass - a western bypass which now comes from Karalee to Fig Tree Pocket, along the Centenary Highway, snakes through the streets of Toowong etc, to Trouts Road, up to Gympie Road.
Myth: Building the Kenmore Bypass will fix Moggill Road.
Fact: Main Roads traffic modelling shows the problem on Moggill Road is predominantly east of Marshall Lane to the Freeway, with the rest of Moggill Road moving between 28 km/h and 44 km/h in the morning peak. The problem is in downstream congestion, which needs to be resolved. Even if the Western Freeway was free moving, the Kenmore Bypass only cuts 4 minutes off of a peak trip to the city.
WHAT CAN YOU DO ?
With an election campaign in the offing, you can be assured we will be taking the campaign door to door, street to street, in this area, and right around the state, holding the Government and the opposition’s policies and actions up for scrutiny.
During the campaign, your assistance in:
- Helping letterbox drop
- Call talkback radio
- Write letters to the editor
- Put up signs
- Call volunteers / man office
- Donations
In the meantime, please go to the Actions page and:
- Email the Premier, and the Opposition Leader
- Write a letter to the editor
- Talk to your family, friends and colleagues.
With your help, we have a unique opportunity to use our RIGHT to tell the politicians “NO KENMORE BYPASS!” and MAKE them look at the better alternatives.
Please save our suburbs!
27 Comments to “Time to fight!”
Geraldine
Typical.
I am so distressed and outraged.
How dare these people say they are “representatives”. They have no idea!
The deputy Premier and Flegg sound like they are best buddies - was that a set up between them?
I am not selfish or foolish like they suggest. I live a long way from the transportation corridor but I say it should be used for green transport to co-exist with the animals and habitat there.
I thought they were currently going through a study process to decide if it should proceed or not! We have no say! The decision is made. They will try to ram it through will their usual spin or should I say lies.
All this spin of the pollies show they are out of touch and manipulative - what is the phrase they used for Howard - “mean and tricky”.
If they have made their decision then guess what Flegg and Lucas - we have nothing to lose and long memories! We will not go guietly and will never give up.
Thanks Ronan for trying to put some facts into the discussion. No wonder you wanted to leave Lucas’s side.
Richard
Were Wayne Goss and Paul Lucas mates? Or has Lucas just decided to take advice regarding Koalas and freeways from Goss?
How arrogant and out of touch.
I thought there was a consultation process where we could say no Kenmore Bypass.
Words of Winston Churchill
NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP
Used many times in politics
No kenmore bypass
anon
TRANSPORT ALTERNATIVES FORUM - this Sunday 22 Feb, 11.30am, Bowman Park, Chiswick Rd, Bardon
In preparation for the Ideas Festival, there will be a public forum about transport at the “Courier Mail Conversation Series” this Sunday.
Dr Matt Burke from Griffith’s Urban Research Program should be in attendance.
More details here:
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25069545-3102,00.html
anon
Everyone - we need to fight them everywhere. It is amazing how my friends at work are amazed by the stupidity of spending all that money in Moggill electorate when they are in ALP seats that have worse traffic congestion than us. Spread the word everywhere!
Jake
The incredible waste of taxpayers money is astonishing. $500 million for 3 kms of road when it’s not required. The traffic is now flowing west of Kenmore because the Moggill Road upgrade is finally finished, after nearly 3 years.
There have to others in Brisbane far worse off than Kenmore, higher priority For a fraction of the cost we could have pedestrian overpasses in Kenmore, separate our kids from traffic and fix the roundabout in Kenmore. Use the preserved corridor for a active transport corridor.
I guess that is just way to sensible for the cureent polies, pretty scary to think who is running the state and Moggill electorate.
Richard
Jake, you are spot on. I don’t know who you are but good on you for making your point on the blog.
OK, Gem Road is dangerous and there was a fatality a couple of years ago. Cut it. But build up Sunset Road to be flood proof. WHat are the engineers and politicians on????
Sack them all!
Stephanie
Dr. Flegg has just sent our taxpayer funded letters to residents in Kenmore In his letter to me he wants a commitment to build the Kenmore Bypass.
Well Flegg you can shove it. How bloody insensitive you are. You were told by this community at 0700 hr on a Saturday morning a couple of months ago we don’t want the Kenmore Bypass.
Didn’t you get the message, you are our current represetative and thousands of us don’t want it You are a disgrace to the office you hold. You should be refunding your wage to the residents of Kenmore that you have decided not to represent, you don’t desrve it.
You are a koala killer and I will always hold you responsible for ruining our suburb if that flaming road goes in.
But you will have to get back in to parliamenat first. Goodluck with that because you just signed away many votes for this election to the Greens and Independent.
The ethics of both ALP and LNP are below gutter level on this one. All of you make sure that you vote excludes this farce of democracy.
Fred
I really hope you appreciate your defence disability pension Flegg. I hope you don’t get elected so that you don’t also get your parliamentary golden handshake at this election. You don’t realise the impact you have had on lovely people. You keep drawing your pensions while people with REAL disabilities who are unable to work due to their genuine disabilities will have their family homes bulldozed by Main Roads to build your private driveway - the Kenmore Bypass. What of your hypocratic oath - you hypocrit. You are destroying people. From what I have seen you have no remorse or empathy for them. Save Our Suburbs - Save Our People - Save Our Moggill Electorate from Flegg - put Flegg last on election day. We need someone who can look past self interest and fight for quicker, cheaper and better solutions for Moggill.
Craig
I too received a letter from Mr Flegg. In the letter he enclosed a reply paid form to request a postal vote. I cut the reply paid section from the form and pasted it to the front of an envelope then inserted a letter declaring my opposition to Mr Flegg and his bypass. This way I get to register my displeasure and Mr Flegg has to pay for it. Even if you do not write anything to Mr Flegg, send back the reply paid form unanswered and he will get the bill. If he will not listen to reason, perhaps he will listen to his dwindling campaign funds.
Kathy
We love where we live in Kenmore and our house is up for resumption in all 6 options.
I am wondering due to the economic problems at the moment, whether the gov will not have the money to build this bypass anyway?
As far as I know this bypass has not been approved yet, last I heard it should have been well and truly thru the parliament by now the way main roads were talking at the end of last year.
Lets hope they put money to better use in our health system, but does anyone agree that the gov probably will not be able to afford this bypass?
Annie
WRT to Stephanies comment about Bruce Flegg’s tax payer funded letter. i suggest everyone do a return to sender, and write on the letter - We dont want the Kenmore Bypass!
That way he’ll his office will get flooded with the message, yet again. Is the guy thick or something?
Sarah
I didn’t receive a letter from Flegg. Did anyone around Gem-Sunset Roads receive one?
Not that it matters. I’ve never voted for Flegg and never intend to.
Anon
Live in Gem rd and received a letter, have never voted for him and will never, ever think about voting for Flegg.
Old, old fashioned, outdated, out of step with community, old ideas for last century, out moded, a long way behind the times.
This is what I think of Flegg’s ideas to solve traffic congestion. The reason that some of Kenmore is still a preserved corridor after 30 years is because it is an OLD idea.
These times call for smarter solutions to these problems not old rehashed ideas. Honestly it seems as if Flegg has never heard of climate change and global warming. Maybe he needs a hearing aid because he is old.
Joan
The best way to cope with the challenges and stressors we face in life is to acknowledge and work out how to take action against them. It is so good to see the good suggestions coming of what we can do, in case Flegg and Lucas get their way and we get the Kenmore Bypass and all the high density housing that will go with it. Whether the find the funds to build it or not, you need to make it clear that you don’t want it built.
Keep going everyone, even if it appears hopeless, we be heard.
Philip Machanick
Want to host a Greens sign the easy way? Text Peter Fenton: 041 616 5910
Katie
Philip, I used to live in Melbourne and we certainly didnt have trams in the suburbs - only in the city cetral area of Melbourne. Trams or light rail in suburbs would be a bigger disaster than this intergalactic throughpass they want to put in our gardens! A bridge across the river at Moggill is an old argument that has been boycotted by the residents of Moggill and Bellbowrie for many years. For Kenmore residents to push for a bridge at Bellbowrie would only serve to divide the community and prevent community cohesion. We need the entire Western suburbs to join together to stop this road!
Lauren
i think light rail is a great idea, public transport is the way of the future (and present).
the KB study assumes that the price of oil will not affect car usage - i disagree.
my suggestions:
1. light rail, either down Moggill Rd or down the preserved corridor, and down Western Freeway or to Indro train station.
2. cycle and walking track down preserved corridor.
3. fix Kenmore Roundabout.
4. pedestrian underpasses/overpasses at schools.
5. green bridge from moggill or bellbowrie to connect with Ipswich rail line (better option than road connection to Riverview imo).
6. dedicated school buses.
7. investigation of another high school, possibly at bellbowrie.
8. bus lanes down moggill road and coro drive during peak hours
9. more activities for west suburbs eg library at bellbowrie.
i cannot understand why these options are not being considered by our elected reps.
and a scary thought, when the KB is connected to ipswich and the warrego highway - there is nothing to stop trucks and more cars using moggill road instead of the bypass. particularly if the bypass is tolled. and if both moggill rd and KB are blocked - rat running!
just imagine if brisbane had a fantastic public transport system like that in paris, berlin etc. it would probably cost less than the transapex road tunnels (that our public money is currently being squandered on)
Sarah
I wasn’t home in time to watch the news, but was there any mention of the Federal Public Transport Inquiry (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/03/2506518.htm)? I find it disappointing that the Federal Government has to step in, but I’m living in hope!
Also, did anyone watch channel 7’s FOI investigation on the reliability of Brisbane’s public transport?
Victoria
I just wanted to say we recently had an appraisal done on our home which is adjacent to the proposed road to nowhere and two agents advised if the road goes through we can expect to lose at least $100,000 off the property price. Apparently those who stand to be resumed will lose even more. Just another reason to totally Bypass Flegg and vote for someone who will stand up for us!!!!
Sarah
Did anyone else receive the flyer about the land sold at Karalee?
“NO FUNDING HAS BEEN ALLOCATED…”
First, Main Roads purchase that block of land on Gem Road for an undisclosed amount. Now, $1.75 million OF OUR MONEY is used at Karalee…even though, “no funding has been allocated”.
There’s one of two reasons Main Roads has whipped open the cheque book, and I’ll leave it open for discussion:
1) Main Roads are simply being arrogant and blatantly lying to us all
2) The developers of the Gem Road land were suing Main Roads for putting their investment at risk…and the land was purchased as a way of settling out of court.
I believed number 2 may have been the reason…until I received this flyer today. I am beyond furious that we are being treated with such contempt.
Philip Machanick
It’s great talking to so many people through this forum but it would be even better to meet you in person. On Sunday 8 March, I will be hosting a forum on sustainable living at 2pm, Kenmore South State School.
This wasn’t planned as an election meeting (who would have guessed the election would be called early?) so the main event is all guest speakers but I’ll be there too. The speakers should be interesting enough to be worth going just to hear them. More detail here: http://greenupmoggill.org/events/
Anna
My Brisways street directory 2005 has neither the Kenmore Bypass or the extension to it the Moggill Pocket Sub-Arterial connection rd to the Warrego.
BUT
The current 2008-2009 Brisways has it fully marked from one end to the other the 3.3km of Kenmore Bypass and another 19 km from Pinjarra Hills to the Warrego Highway.
This will destroy the western suburbs and bring untolled amount of misery, pollution and eradication of the koala and other flora and fauna. Get with the program everyone and get rid of the people who are trying to do this to us , for their own selfish purposes.
Lets get a dialogue started that brings about sensible and sustainable solutions to traffic congestion. We might just be able to save our koalas while we are at it.
Matthew
Hello again, this is Matthew, the admin. I’ve had a discussion with the SOS leads and would like to talk to you about how we are refining our comment policy on the blog.
First off, I want to sincerely thank each and every one of you who write comments here. You are the lifeblood of the blog, because you literally give it life. We need your involvement and passion. I very much hope you all keep posting your comments.
The upcoming election gives us a challenge. Those of us contributing to this blog all have different party loyalties. We don’t want any voter to feel unwelcome. We also don’t want to look like a vehicle for the promotion of any particular candidate or party.
So here is the policy we will try to enact. We will approve comments which are polite to the others here, constructive towards finding an alternative to the Bypass, and which do not advocate or criticise any particular party or candidate. Other comments won’t be approved, unfortunately. It pains me to exclude good ideas from good people, but the alternatives seem to be worse, in the view of the SOS leads. When you write your comments, please don’t mix in your good ideas with discussion of any party or candidate; to be safe, please avoid mentioning them at all.
However, compliments and criticism toward any *incumbent* political figure’s actions (not the party, the actual person) will be permitted, as they are public policy makers and their actions deserve to be analysed and criticised. All the same, please stay civil in tone to keep the discussion here elevated. Criticize the policy, not the person or the party, and be aware that some of our readers may support an incumbent candidate, but still seek to influence him or her. We need to apply that kind of political pressure too.
We are happy to have some candidates here as readers and comment writers, and they have a role too. We need to limit that role in a fair way. Therefore, I invite any candidate to post comments which simply posts a link to get more information. This can include links to rallies, meetings, discussions, or other websites which may have a political affiliation. However, the comment can’t contain any other statement of the party or candidate’s stance or opinion. Simply post the link, state what the link is for, and continue the political discussion on the other site. We hope you still read our site and listen to the people here– we just can’t let this blog become a political platform.
I have “unapproved” several comments which don’t meet the new criteria. This is not a slam at all against those who posted them– you all were simply following your passions. If you want me to send you the text of your comment so you can edit it and repost it, I will gladly do so, just ask me.
As before, if I see a comment or get email which I think deserves to be elevated to a full post, I still will do so, as long as it follows these same requirements.
As before, all comments will be “moderated”, meaning I get an email alert when you write it and then I hop onto the site to review and approve them. I will use the above guidelines to approve or deny comments, and usually do so within 24 hours. If you feel your comment has been unfairly disregarded, please write another comment addressed to me. I won’t publish the comment, just read it, and reply to you in email.
If you want a comment you made to be edited or retracted, just let me know, though I can’t guarantee I will get to it very soon. Unfortunately, I am very busy with my business, so please make those requests only when necessary.
Also, we welcome feedback from you on this policy, and can modify it as we get good ideas from others about our approach.
Thank you for your patience and for your continued contributions to this blog and the whole SOS effort. We really, really need you more than ever, and want to do all we can to stay unified in the face of this challenge.
–Matthew
Julie
Flegg supporters must be worried people have started stealing Greens signs in our neighbourhood.
That’s right Angela we need to be out there ramming the message home that there are better alternatives to the Kenmore Bypass. Flegg wont help, so we need new representation that will listen to us and act!
Steve
Flegg supporters must be packing it because they have stolen Barry Searle signs as well overnight from selected locations around Kenmore.
We are really upset about what our so called representaive has done to us. This only ensures that we will redouble our efforts to vote in new representation.
Lauren
i was speaking to an amateur cyclist. he was under the assumption that the KB would have a dedicated off-road cycle lane (like Western Freeway).
he was shocked when i told him there is no off-road cycle path, and that he would be cycling in the road shoulder next to semi-trailers.
is there any way we could get the message out to more cyclists? anyone involved in a cycling club/group?