Candidate lists are out for local council elections statewide and our website is brimming with statements from people boasting their cycling credentials, ready to help you make your choice.
Bicycle Network has asked existing councillors and aldermen and new candidates with prominent campaigns what they would do to support more people getting on bicycles if they were elected.
We kept it to the city councils but have also opened it up to statements from candidates in other councils, for example, Central Coast.
In the north-west, we have had the help of the shared coastal pathway lobby group which has been asking candidates the questions from our website.
Bicycle Network does not endorse particular candidates or parties in elections but ask candidates about their positions on cycling issues of importance to help you make your decision.
More than most other levels of government, councils can have a big impact on the type and quality of infrastructure that is built to support cycling.
Many of our councils don’t have current cycling or active transport plans, so as a minimum we’d like to see candidates committing to getting planning in place and keeping it updated.
Once a desired network is identified, councils can then start working towards getting paths and cycleways built. For larger councils this means starting to budget for design and construction and for smaller councils it’s getting designs done ready for funding rounds from state and federal governments.
Councils without cycling plans or forward budget planning can be left out in the cold when state and federal governments suddenly announce funding is available for roads and recreational paths.
Hobart Council leading
It’s not surprising that with 44 nominations for 12 seats, that we have received the most statements from Hobart candidates.
But Clarence Council candidates are showing a lot of cycling support and Kingborough, Glenorchy and Burnie are putting in a good show.
Burnie Council is being hotly contested with 6 candidates for mayor and 4 for deputy mayor. It also has the live issue before it of whether it will pursue funding for the section of the coastal pathway east of the city.
Disappointingly, Launceston and Devonport council candidates have been quiet compared to their southern counterparts.
We will keep updating our site right up to when voting closes at 2 pm on Tuesday 25 October so if you are a candidate please send it in to tasoffice@bicyclenetwork.com.au and if you are talking to candidates about bikes, urge them to send a statement in to us.
Voting in council elections is now compulsory for everyone on the state electoral roll – you will start receiving your voting pack from Monday 3 October that you will have to fill out and post back before voting closes.
You will receive candidate statements with your voting form that you can read in conjunction with the statements on our website.
We have also compiled links to the bike votes that have happened at city councils over the past four-year term so you can read the debates and see who voted which way.
If you are in the Hobart Council area you can check out the candidate guide and voting records that have been put together by well-known election analyst Kevin Bonham: https://kevinbonham.blogspot.com/