Tasmanian Legislative Council elections on 4 May are likely to get drowned out by federal election campaigns, but there are three seats up this year and all of them are in areas popular for bike riding.
The seat of Nelson takes in the suburbs of Taroona, Kingston, Mount Nelson, Leslie Vale, Longley, Neika and Sandy Bay and is an interesting one to watch because the incumbent MLC Jim Wilkinson is retiring.
There is a large field of candidates already out campaigning for the seat and transport issues have dominated their efforts so far. Candidates include Vica Bayley, Deborah Brewer, Blair Brownless, Polly Farmer, Richard Griggs, Robert Manning, Madeline Ogilvie, Nic Street, Meg Webb and Lorraine Bennett.
Pembroke is another inner Hobart seat which takes in the suburbs of Geilston Bay, Lindisfarne, Rose Bay, Rosny, Bellerive, Warrane, Mornington, Howrah and Tranmere.
The incumbent MLC Jo Siejka, who won the seat at a by-election in November 2017 after the resignation of Vanessa Goodwin, is standing again and is being challenged by Kristy Johnson, Tony Mulder, Ron Cornish and Carlo Di Falco.
Montgomery is another seat where the incumbent, Leonie Hiscutt, is standing and is being challenged by Michelle Rippon, Cheryl Fuller and Brenton Jones. The seat takes in Ulverstone, Penguin, Sheffield, Turners Beach, Forth, Gawler, Sulphur Creek, Heybridge, and Ridgley.
We want all candidates in the Legislative Council elections to support projects that will make it easier for people to ride their bikes for transport and recreation, no matter where their seat is.
We’ve sent emails to all the candidates we know about and asked them to sign on to our Safer Cycling Pledge.
Safer Cycling Pledge
If I am elected to the Legislative Council, I pledge to:
- support the sealing of road shoulders on routes popular for cycling
- support protected cycleways in urban centres
- support programs which help people choose active transport options
- support legislative changes which create safer conditions for vulnerable road users like bicycle riders.
Candidates who sign on to the pledge will be added to our Vote Bike Tasmania campaign page and we’ll also be publicising their support for bikes through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
We’ve heard of one transport forum coming up in Nelson that we’ll publicise through In the Loop and our social media accounts. If you know of any events that may be relevant for bike riders to let candidates know what’s important to them, let us know.
Authorised by Alison Hetherington, 210 Collins Street, Hobart.