A marginal seat (or marginal electorate) is one that is held by an incumbent with only a slight majority over other parties, often only a couple of percent. This means that the seat is very competitive and that the vote could easily swing between different parties.

Unsurprisingly, marginal seats are often targeted for increased campaigning by parties and are, therefore, common locations where funding announcements are made, as candidates busily try win the support of local voters.

And, as bike lovers and advocates, we can all use that to our advantage to see better outcomes for riding.

Many marginal seats already have exciting bike projects that the federal government can get behind. In others, simply boosting community uptake with things like financial incentives and bike programs could do a whole world of good.

Let’s count these marginal seats down and learn a bit more about what is happening…

 

1. Macquarie (NSW)

Margin: 0.2    

Incumbent: ALP

Suburbs and towns: Bilpin, Blackheath, Central Macdonald, Faulconbridge, Glenbrook, Katoomba, Lower Portland, Mellong, Mogo Creek, Mount Victoria, Mount Wilson, Richmond, Sackville, St. Albans, Windsor

What you need to know

In a recent survey, Bicycle Network members rated existing bike facilities in Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains regions (which both fall into the Macquarie electorate) a measly 2 out of 10. But we can turn things around.

An exciting prospect is the River to Mountains Cycling Network concept plan, which comprises 14km of bike and walking paths around the wider Glenbrook region. Federal funding assistance to make these plans a reality will be an invaluable step to supporting the existing bike riding community and encouraging the curious to give the bike a go.

Rider safety along the Great Western Highway is also a key concern in Macquarie, as there are narrow shoulders and risky pinch points along its extent. Thankfully, recent federal funding has helped improve sections of the highway for riders. However, there are more untreated pinch points that require attention, and federal funds would be extremely valuable to expedite delivery. 

Running candidates

 

2. Bass (TAS)

Margin: 0.4    

Incumbent: LIB

Suburbs and towns: Launceston, Dorset, Flinders Island, George Town

What you need to know

There are two essential bike projects in the electorate of Bass that we are urging residents to get behind. Firstly, we would like to see federal input to complete the Rocherlea to Inveresk bike network. There is currently a separated path runs from Rocherlea south towards the city but a gap exists at Mowbray Racecourse with no safe off-road connection. A gap in the network like this can be the ‘make-or-break’ for a safe riding route. We would like to see some federal assistance to help close the gap.

A path between Launceston and Legana will also be an important step forward. This bike link, a possibility proposed in West Tamar Council’s Trails Strategy, will have a significant impact on bolstering active commuting in Bass, as well as offering a relaxing foreshore cruise for tourists.

Running candidates

 

3. Chisholm (VIC)

Margin: 0.5    

Incumbent: LIB

Suburbs and towns: Ashwood, Blackburn, Blackburn North, Blackburn South, Box Hill, Box Hill North, Box Hill South, Burwood, Burwood East, Forest Hill, Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley, Nunawading, Surrey Hills

What you need to know

The key bike project in Chisholm is the Box Hill-Hawthorn Trail, a section of which will run through the electorate. To date, no federal funds have been allocated for building this much-needed strategic cycling corridor. The feasibility of the project has been confirmed, what is needed now is the funds to build it. 

Completion of this project will not only allow safe commuting into the city by bike; it will be a great way to target the uninitiated rider. Over 77.6 per cent of people within the electorate are ‘interested but concerned’ when it comes to riding a bike.

Bike thefts in Chisholm are quite high, and the electoriate ranks 17^th in the highest number of thefts per region in Victoria (based on LGA data). A key question is how federal candidates will support local and state government to improve parking, increase liveability and reduce theft.

Running candidates

 

4. Lilley (QLD)

Margin: 0.6    

Incumbent: ALP

Suburbs and towns: Aspley, Banyo, Boondall, Brighton, Chermside, Deagon, Geebung, Kedron, Northgate, Nudgee, Nundah, Pinkenba, Sandgate, Shorncliffe, Taigum, Virginia, Wavell Heights, Zillmere.

What you need to know

Bike activity in Brisbane is booming, with around 43 per cent of people riding a bike at some point in the year, higher than the national figure. However, gender equity in bike riding is poor: previous counts by Bicycle Network females were found to comprise only 15 per cent of all riders.

The Lilley electorate encases the north-eastern part of the City of Brisbane local government area. The key project in this area is the North Brisbane Bikeway, which will run between Chermside and the Brisbane CBD. The Bikeway currently ends in Wooloowin, but Brisbane City Council has released concept designs for the Woolowin-Clayfield section, just south of Lilley, which will undergo construction in the short term. The remaining sections are yet to be implemented, and an injection of federal funding will help ensure delivery.

Running candidates

 

5. Eden-Monaro (NSW)

Margin: 0.8    

Incumbent: ALP

Suburbs and towns: Bega, Bombala, Cooma, Eden, Jindabyne, Jugiong, Naromma, Queanbeyan, Yass

What you need to know

Eden-Monaro is a federation seat largely incorporating agricultural areas, a number of rural and regional cities as well as a number of significant tourism related industries such as the NSW ski fields. Until 2016, the seat was considered a ‘bellwether electorate’, meaning it won by the winning government at every election.

Eden-Monaro is significant in that is houses a disused railway line running from Queanbeyan to Bombala, proposed to become the Monaro rail trail. At a total distance of 208 km,  the ride starts by exiting the Canberra Valley and traveling through towns such as Michelago and Bredbo, before hitting Cooma at the 110km mark. From Cooma, the trail would then cross the Great Dividing Range near Nimmitabel and finally cease at the town of Bombala.

The Monaro trail has been likened to the Otago Rail Trail in New Zealand which sees 14,000 riders per year and adds an estimated $10 m to the New Zealand economy each year. The rides are similar in that riders would spend up to 4 nights completing the ride, most likely staying at local accommodations along the way, contributing significantly to the local economy.

The path is highly popular amongst community members in Eden-Monaro and will be a close project to watch through the campaign. Federal Election candidates in the electorate will be critical in supporting the fast-tracking of the project or in commitments of federal funding for the trail.

Running candidates

 

6. Cowan (WA)

Margin: 0.9    

Incumbent: ALP

Suburbs and towns: Alexander Heights, Ashby, Ballajura, Beechboro,  Bennett Springs, Cullacabardee, Darch, Gnangara, Greenwood, Jandabup, Kiara, Lockridge, Madeley, Malaga, Tapping, Wangara, Wanneroo, Warwick, Whiteman

What you need to know

Cowan is a metropolitan electorate in the northern suburbs of Perth. The 95 square kilometre electorate has recently grown and many new suburbs have been added to the electorate due to Western Australia losing one seat in a 2021 redistribution.

The seat has changed hands regularly over the past few previous elections and will definitely be courted by large campaigns from both major parties. The electorate is critical for bike riders in that it hosts many proposed key cycling corridors as part of the Long-Term Cycling Network, outlined by the WA Department of Transport.

As the electorates population has been growing rapidly, the need for greater commuter infrastructure has increased significantly. Thus, the WA Department of Transport has outlined a number of key routes through suburbs such as Morley and Marangaroo, to be built before 2050 to cater for the increasing demand for active travel infrastructure.

With federal funding commitments, these projects can be fast-tracked, and bike journeys for residents of Cowan can be made safer sooner. This electorate will be close and we hope all candidates will commit to supporting active travel.

Running candidates

 

7. Corangamite (VIC)

Margin: 1.0    

Incumbent: ALP

Suburbs and towns: Airey’s Inlet, Anglesea, Apollo Bay, Bannockburn, Barwon Heads, Deans Marsh, Highton, Inverleigh, Jan Juc, Leopold, Lorne, Meredith, Portarlington, St Leonards, Torquay, Waurn Ponds, Winchelsea

What you need to know

Bike facilities could be massively improved to support the Corangamite electorate. In 2022, Bicycle Network members rated bike facilities in the Greater Geelong area (which overlaps with Corangamite) a paltry 4.3 out of 10. Bicycle Network’s Bike Lane Report Card reveals that existing on-road bike lanes in this electorate grade between ‘D’ and ‘E’, indicating that major improvements are required.

Investing in bikes could really help ramp up active transport activity. At present, approximately 67.9% of people in the Geelong region are ‘interested but concerned’ about using a bike.

It starts with an active transport budget. We are urging federal election candidates to campaign for a nominal percentage of the federal transport budget to be set aside exclusively for active transport projects.

Running candidates

 

8. Blair (QLD)

Margin: 1.2    

Incumbent: ALP

Suburbs and towns: Boonah, Beaudesert, Coominya, Esk, Fernvale, Ipswich, Kilcoy, Lowood, Minden 

What you need to know

The inner eastern electorate of Blair comprises sections of the Brisbane, Ipswich, Scenic Rim and Somerset local councils. 

Queensland has a ten-year strategy that guides the planning of bike facilities across the state. The bike routes of highest priority (‘principal routes’) within Blair can be reviewed in the South East Queensland Principal Cycle Network Plan, which include bike plans for key Blair locations such as Ipswich, Beaudesert, Esk, Kilcoy, Lowood and Boonah.

A key bike project in Blair is the Ipswich Inner CBD Cycle Network, the groundwork that will transform the city into an active transport mecca. Community consultation is currently underway to aid design, with construction expected in 2023/24. Federal funding could support delivery of this network and, given Queensland’s track record with returns on bike investments, could be a viable economic option for the region.

Running candidates

 

9. Boothby (SA)

Margin: 1.4    

Incumbent: LIB

Suburbs and towns: Belair, Blackwood, Brighton, Daw Park, Eden Hills, Marion, Mitcham, Seacliff, St Marys

What you need to know

The South Australian electorate of Boothby comprises the Marion, Mitcham, Holdfast Bay and Unley local government areas. Around 17.4% of South Australian residents rode a bicycle in the previous week, and approximately 38% in a year. This is less than the national figure but, as in other states, there was an appreciable uptick in riding in 2021. With bike enthusiasm on the rise, it is time to act.

There are two exciting bike projects that would support Boothby residents. The proposed Flinders-City Bikeway, running between Flinders University and Adelaide CBD, has been supported by the community and some sections are shovel-ready. Another high-priority route, the Belair to City Bikeway, would be a part separated bike path/part on-road lane facilities and has also been widely supported by the community. Federal funding to complete Stage 2 of this project would be extremely valuable.

There are also numerous improvements that can be made around the Marion local government area: safer crossing points at Marino Rocks for bikes and pedestrians to access public transport; safer on-road bike lane markings in Seacombe Gardens; a linear park shared path along Glengowrie’s Breakout Creek; and a shared path along South Rd and Majors Rd linking South Rd to the Southern Expressway veloway.

Running candidates

 

10. Indi (VIC)

Margin: 1.4    

Incumbent: IND

Suburbs and towns: Alexandra, Beechworth, Benalla, Bright, Chiltern, Corryong, Glenrowan, Harrietville, Mansfield, Marysville, Wangaratta, Wodonga, Yackandandah, Yea

What you need to know

The vast electorate of Indi comprises regional cities such as Wangaratta, Benalla, and Wodonga; as well as the scenic Indigo, Towong and Alpine regions. Bike theft rates in Indi are quite low, and the community health profile is higher than the Victorian average.

However, Indi has one exciting element that is ripe for campaigning: rail trails. There are massive opportunities for bike tourism in Indi, which currently houses the Murray-to-Mountains and High Country trails. Arguably, the most important project in Indi is a trail link between Yackandandah and Huon Valley that would connect these two trails. This would form an exciting, family-friendly rural bike network across several townships.

The proposed 31.3km trail will take riders through pastoral and forest scenery, offering visitors an exciting multi-day touristic experience, and locals the chance to move around actively. Completion of this project will benefit enormously from federal input.

Upgrades to the High Country Rail Trail are also incredibly important, including completion of the Shelley-Corryong section and numerous upgrades to the existing trail.

Running candidates

What you can do

Don’t underestimate your voting power! Reaching out to your local candidates this election will help push the changes we all want to see. And candidates want to hear from you. They want to represent your needs. 

Have a read of our article on writing to candidates here. You can figure out which electorate you live in via the Australian Electoral Commission website, and candidates can be found through the websites of each political party. 

Don’t forget to cc campaigns@bicyclenetwork.com.au in your correspondence. Any responses that you receive will be published on our campaign tracker!  

Bicycle Network would like to acknowledge the following organisations for their assistance in bringing this article together.

The post Ten marginal electorates riders need to watch this election appeared first on Bicycle Network.

Candidates and parties are there to listen to the views of the public and if elected, represent your needs in parliament. The more people who contact politicians about bike riding, the harder it is to ignore us.

As a voting constituent, your opinion holds a lot of weight. Candidates could win or lose the election based on the way you vote.

Letters and emails are one of the simplest ways to engage candidates and politicians about bike riding, an issue you care about.

Find your candidates

First, you’ll need to know your federal electorate. If you don’t know it, you can use your postcode to find out: https://electorate.aec.gov.au/

Some candidates are still being locked in with nominations open until 10 days after the election is called. Here’s a list of federal candidates that are known for each electorate so far.  

As nominations close, 10 days after the election is called, candidates will start to be listed here: https://www.aec.gov.au/election/

Contact information can be found for the major party candidates via their respective party websites:

• Liberal members and candidates
• Labor members and candidates
• Greens members and candidates

For smaller party or independent candidates, a quick Google or Facebook search will turn up the contact information for candidates from other parties and independents.

If you receive a response, forward it onto campaigns@bicyclenetwork.com.au and any commitments will be published on our commitment tracker.

Tips for writing an email or letter

1. Address your letter/email correctly

Make sure you use the candidate’s correct title and contact details.

Politicians who have been or are government ministers will have the title “The Honourable” prefixing their name. For example, use The Hon. Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr First Name Last Name MP’ in the case of Ministers who are MPs or ‘Senator the Hon. First Name Last Name’ in the case of Ministers who are Senators.

Start your email or letter with Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr Last Name’ in the case of MPs, and ‘Dear Senator’ or ‘Dear Senator Last Name’ in the case of Senators.

2. Introduce yourself and the issues you wish to address

Start your letter or email by stating who you, any groups you are involved with or may be contacting on behalf of are and why you are contacting them – make sure your purpose is precise and focused.

3. Know what you’re going to say

Keep it brief, objective, polite and as short as possible. Stick to the facts while highlighting the need for urgent action.

It’s a good idea to start local, outline your vision for bike riridng in your local community. If you’re unsure about the content of your letter or email, Bicycle Network’s Federal Election priority paper is a good place to start. It’s full of quick and reliable information about bike riding as well as priorities for the incoming government.

If there is nothing you’d like changed in your local area, you can just ask them and their party to commit to one of our priority policies such as a national bike incentive scheme or ask for a commitment to match the European Union’s General Safety Regulation (GSR) for vehicle safety requirements.

If you would like to add a local element but not sure of the best infrastructure to request, check out our 10 marginal electorates article, or email us at riderserives@bicyclenetwork.com.au and one of our policy advisors will send through some priority projects for your electorate.

4. Add a personal touch and use your own words

We won’t provide you with a letter or email template because using your own words is much more impactful. 

Using a short personal story to explain why the issue is important to you is a great way to connect with their head and heart.

Think about what you want to see changed and why. How does it make you feel? For example, does current infrastructure make you scared, nervous about riding? Are you worried about your child getting enough exercises? Are you too scared to ride on some roads because of the trucks, etc?  

Let the candidate know how their position on bike riding or active transport will impact how you will vote and that others in the electorate also care about the issue.

Collective action makes a difference

With the election now called for mid-May, now’s the perfect time to let your candidates know that you want to see a commitment for bikes and the people who ride them.

A letter or email from a person riding a bike is not just another submission full of facts and figures from experts, its everyday Australians telling their story. It makes the facts real. 

Together if we get enough members and friends contacting candidates then we can make a difference for bike riders.

Please take the time to share our federal election policy paper with your local candidates. Don’t forget to cc’ campaigns@bicyclenetwork.com.au.

To keep track of the announcements and commitments so far, check out our federal election campaign page. 

The post Writing to candidates this federal election appeared first on Bicycle Network.

The mayors have released a wishlist for the election, which includes a cycling network that would have an All Ages and Abilities (AAA) rating so could also be used by people on scooters, wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

The network plan has been put together using current council and state government cycling strategies.

The determination that the network be rated AAA is a first for Tasmania and recognises that people wanting to ride for transport are not all lycra-clad, super fit, confident cyclists.

A AAA network should cater to children riding to school and after-school activities, less confident riders heading to work or shops, people on mobility devices like e-scooters, and cargo and trike bicycles.

The network would be made up of three types of bike infrastructure:

Local Street bikeway – Streets with 30 km/h speed limits and fewer than 500 vehicle movements per day.

Protected bike lane – Provides physical barrier separation from motor vehicles on higher speed and higher traffic volume roads, as well as separation from pedestrians in locations where foot traffic is high. The facility should provide adequate width for comfortable passing and accommodate all types of wheeled active transportation such as e-scooters and cargo bikes.

Off-road cycleway – This is shared with pedestrians and needs to be a minimum of 3 metres width. Road crossings need careful consideration and grades should be minimised as much as possible.

Some of the listed routes are already funded and being designed, including new Tasman Bridge paths, separated lanes on Campbell, Bathurst and Campbell streets, and widening and sealing of the northern end of the Whitewater Creek Track.

The first projects that $18 million in funding could help build include: a shared path along the Tasman Highway from Mornington to the Tasman Bridge, a path linking Lutana to Glenorchy, extension of the Intercity Cycleway to Austins Ferry, and further extension of the Whitewater Creek Track.

The call for federal funding was made on behalf of the Greater Hobart mayors.

The mayors are also part of the Greater Hobart Committee that was formed by Greater Hobart Act 2019. The committee has released a vision for greater Hobart and is working on a metropolitan plan that will incorporate the cycling network and other transport plans and is due for adoption this year.

The post Hobart mayors pitch bike network for election appeared first on Bicycle Network.

It’s time to lobby for bikes!

While we will send our wish list to political parties and independent candidates, having our members and supporters raise their voices really makes the pollies sit up and listen.

So, we need you to call, email, message and attend in-person events so candidates are under no illusion that bikes matter to Tasmanians.

The most powerful representation is when you speak from experience, so you should talk about what would make life better for you as a regular bicycle rider or how you and your family could ride more for transport if there was safer infrastructure/help to buy a cargo bike/secure parking etc etc!

Different parties and candidates are motivated by different values but in general:

• People who care about individual responsibility appreciate that bike riders are keeping themselves healthy and saving money by riding.
• People who want to protect the environment can see bike riding reduces air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.
• People who want greater social equality understand that making riding easier for transport helps more people access education and work.
• People who worry about big government spending know that infrastructure for riding costs less to build and maintain than that for cars, moves more people and reaps rewards for health and productivity.

And of course, some candidates will care about all of the above – they are our favourites.

If you want to help amplify our calls, please talk about one or more of our Top 5 asks or our electorate-specific projects.

The Top 5

We are asking all political parties and candidates nationally to back our Top 5 asks:

1. increase federal funding for paths and cycleways
2. bike paths on all new federal road projects
3. fund bike education programs like Ride2School and Ride2Work
4. provide tax breaks to help people buy bikes for transport
5. implement safer vehicle standards that help improve safety for people riding. 

More detail is in our election policy paper: https://s23705.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BN_Federal_Election_policy_paper.pdf

Tasmanian asks

If Tasmanian parties and candidates backed our Top 5 asks then we’d be in a pretty good position.

But we all know how much parties like to back particular projects in electorates, especially marginal ones like Bass and Braddon, so we thought we’d help out by nominating a project for funding in each electorate.

Some were difficult to choose from so we’ve included two!   

BASS
Filling in the missing link to complete the Rocherlea to Inveresk path.

Build a Launceston to Legana path.

BRADDON
Funding for the remaining sections of the Coastal Pathway from Burnie to Heybridge and West Ulverstone to Penguin.

CLARK
Commit to funding a greater Hobart Active Transport Network – Collins St would be a good first route.

FRANKLIN
Fund a greater Hobart Active Transport Network which would include a Kingston to Huntingfield cycleway.

LYONS
Commitment to a Derwent Valley Rail Trail with funding for a full feasibility study.

Candidate Contacts

We’ve put together a list of all the known Tasmanian candidate contact details. Keep an eye on our webpage for updates

Candidate list

The post Getting bikes onto federal election agenda appeared first on Bicycle Network.