Build bike paths in Kooyong not car parks

The recent announcement by Josh Frydenberg (Age 3/3/22) to abandon his ill-considered $65 million funding for railway station car parks in Kooyong is welcome. 

These very expensive "car parks for votes" would have increased traffic congestion and pollution in local streets.

This allocation of funds, which has become known as Carpark Rorts, has been criticised by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) for not being effective or merit-based,

Many local residents oppose these car parks for the following reasons:

• Increased traffic congestion to and around the carparks - up to 800 additional cars per day - with increased pollution from carbon emissions
• Reduced safety due to increased traffic in suburban streets
• Limited parking spaces for locals - most spaces would be occupied all day
• No provision in draft plans for bicycle parking - one car parking space can provide parking for ten bicycles
• Use of council land some distance from the railway stations, instead of using existing railway station carparks

To date, no federal funds have been allocated for building safe cycling infrastructure.

The $65 million would be much better spent building the Hawthorn to Box Hill Trail strategic cycling corridor to provide safe, healthy, car-free, climate-friendly pedestrian and bike transport through the Kooyong electorate. 

Every trip on a bike is one less car on the roads.

Liddiard St car park (proposed)

Wattle Valley Road car park (proposed)

Protest signs in Liddiard St

Protest sign in Liddiard St

Protest flyer

Site of proposed car park in Liddiard St

Protest sign in Wattle Valley Road

Existing car park off Wattle Valley Road

Existing Canterbury Station car park

Location of proposed Liddiard St car park

Location of  proposed Wattle Valley Rd car park

Why we need a Royal Commission into Australian banks and financial services

Calls for a Royal Commission into Australian Banks and financial services have so far fallen on deaf ears.

The reasons why a royal commission is urgently needed include:

• Entrenched ongoing fraudulent (possibly criminal) financial advice provided by the Commonwealth bank that has resulted in the losses of tens of millions of investors money.
• Banks rigging interest rates. Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac and National Australia Bank are all under official investigation by ASIC and have been served with official notices.
• The Australian Senate inquiry demanded a royal commission into Commonwealth Bank and ASIC
• The failure of "self regulated" banks and other financial services companies to deal with corrupt and illegal activities within their businesses.

Predictably, some major Australian banks oppose a Royal Commission into their conduct.  What have they got to hide?

Labor now supports a Greens move for a Royal Commission into financial services.  Some Coalition politicians such as Warren Entsch also support this.

Prime Minister Turnbull has dismissed calls for the Royal Commission, describing it as a "thought bubble".  Ministers Josh Frydenberg and Peter Dutton have also parroted the "thought bubble" dismissal.  

It is quite clear that Turnbull, Frydenberg and Dutton are putting a massive cover-up of corporate banking fraud ahead of the public interest.  Perhaps the large political donations that banks all make to the Liberal and National parties influence this curious response?

I don't think that the Commonwealth bank losing tens of millions of retirees and other investor money due to illegal and fraudulent practices is a "thought bubble".  Nor is collusion between banks to manipulate interest rates. 

I think it essential that the financial sector in Australia abides by laws and is held accountable and penalised for illegal activities if and when they occur.

External links

• Commonwealth Bank compensation scheme for victims of financial planning scandal 'a joke', Senate inquiry hears - ABC News
• Bank hearings to pry into interest rate rigging afr.com
• Senate inquiry demands royal commission into Commonwealth Bank, ASIC - ABC News
• Labor takes aim at big banks, promising royal commission if elected - ABC News
• NAB, ANZ bosses say calls for royal commission in banking a 'serious distraction' - ABC News
• Pressure on Turnbull over banks as three more Nats MPs speak out on royal commission. Sydney Morning Herald. 
• 'Captain's call': Lib MP lashes Malcolm Turnbull and ministers for opposing bank inquiry 

Australian needs a national Integrity Commission now

Add your voice to our call to clean up politics

It’s time to for a national corruption watch dog to clean up politics.

Politicians of all persuasions should recognise that the public interest is best served by a clear separation between politics and business.

Recent revelations by state ICACs make it clear that sadly this is not the case in Australia.

That’s why we urgently needs a national Integrity Commission to oversee anti-corruption measures at a federal level in the same way that state ICAC do.

The Australian Greens have called on both Liberal and Labor to urgently consider legislation for a national Integrity Commissioner in light of recent events in NSW politics.

An Australian Greens bill for a national Integrity Commission is already before federal Parliament. Among other integrity measures, the bill would establish a new Office of the Independent Parliamentary Adviser to advise MPs and Ministers on entitlements claims and the ethical running of their office that the public rightly expects. The adviser will also be tasked with developing a legally binding code of conduct for MPs for the Parliament to adopt.

Add your voice to our call to clean up politics:

To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled:

The petition of the undersigned shows:

Politicians of all persuasions should recognise that the public interest is best served by a clear separation between business and politics.

The Australian public expects their elected representatives to act ethically and in the public’s best interest.

A National Integrity Commissioner would help ensure that this is the case.

Your petitioners ask that the Senate:

Urgently support legislation for a National Integrity Commissioner to oversee and implement anti-corruption measures at a federal level.

Online petition is here