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Tuesday February 9, 2010

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Transport Planning

Posted by: Michael Smith | 23 June, 2009 - 1:21 PM
smith

Glen Poole is a marvellous asset for our state.

He’s the Auditor General.

A couple of weeks ago he produced an authoritative report on Queensland Health.   It was damning.   He said the government went ahead with multi-billion dollar spending without doing the appropriate planning.   And that government often ignored planning advice and went ahead anyway – he implied that political considerations often over-rode the genuine needs of the state.

I spoke with Deputy Premier Paul Lucas at the time.   He agreed that political considerations – in other words winning seats – often took priority.  Press Releases take priority of planning.   That’s a great shame and it’s good to know we have professional public servants like Glen Poole to keep our leaders in check and to let the voters know the real state of play.

Well Glen Poole’s done it again, in very quick fashion.   Today he’s released a 65 page report on transport network management and urban congestion in South East Queensland.   It’s damning of the government.  - Download report here.

He told us what you in your car know.   “Peak hour traffic strains the limits of Brisbane’s road network.”   “SEQ has reached a critical stage.”   Critical is a good word – as in the patient is listed as in a critical condition.

He made 4 adverse findings

  1. Leadership at state level is not coordinated.   He finds that the government is spending big money – but they are spending it in an ad hoc way.   State agencies hav not developed ….congestion as the issue.
  2. Systemic weakness in integrated planning
  3. Out of date key transport documents and plans
  4. Inconsistencies in data collection and planning

Anna Bligh’s planning in going to an election before this report came out is superb.   It’s a shame they are much better politicians than they are managers.

Coincidentally there’s a perfect example of this ineptitude out today.   We learn that much more work at Wooloowin will be needed as part of the disastrous BrisConnections Airport Link Tunnel.   We’re told that a geotechnical analysis of the Kedrom and Wooloowin area shows that tunnelling for on and off ramps would “require more extensive construction activities than previously planned.”

Why is the road being built before the “geotechnical analysis” was carried out.

Our entire transport system is straining at the seams.   Buses.   Trains.   And of course the roads.

It does us no good to hear from the greenies that the bigger petrol tax will push people toward public transport.   We need a roads system that works.   But more than that we need strong, credible managers building it – managers who aren’t driven by PR and spin.

The government could look at Glen Poole the Auditor General as a great example of what a public servant should be.

Blog comments Your Say

  • True Gayle, she will ask for a mandate to fix it, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
    Did you notice that the Russian economy has contracted 11 percent, you remember she was going to spend a fortune to travel there to find jobs for Queenslanders

    Albert Thursday 25 June, 2009 - 11:46 AM

  • Well Anna must have be reading through all Peter Beattie's past speeches.
    Everytime he got caught out he would accept responsibility, smile and get away with it, of course he rarely did anything to fix the problem, so watch this space folks we will now see Anna try and do the same

    Gayle Thursday 25 June, 2009 - 10:34 AM

  • Smithy,
    Well I hope that you and all your mates out there in "Blogland" are happy now!!
    Anna Bliar Queenslands Honestest Socialist has finally, with the aid of the Auditor General stood up to be counted and proven herself to be the mostest gutsiest Premier of all time.
    She has admitted to the people of Queensland that the Transport Problems being experienced by those living in the South East Corner of the State, are all her fault, and what guts, they (her Government) could have done a better job. Well Premier Bliar you ain't telling us nuttin'". I am proud to be on your side Smithy, this mob of Incompetents are unfit to Govern, and if the Polls are true and correct, 73% of the electorate believe that she IS a liar; she is also well on the way to becoming the most hated. How much more of this "Stockyard Confetti" do we have to take? ITS TIME Michael, time for the apathy to cease, get up of our arses, and storm the Bastille. Could you believe those two gooses who fronted up to the Journalists yesterday and welcomed the Auditor Generals Report on Main Roads and Transport. Not to worry though, Anna Bliar will accept responsibility. WHOOPPEE.

    Phil - Springwood Wednesday 24 June, 2009 - 5:03 PM

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