Parking plan now election issue

CITY of Ballarat parking reforms have taken centre stage in the election campaign with competing pledges for additional carparks from both major parties.

Labor is offering $14 million for 1000 new spaces while the Liberals pitched $20 million for 1500 spots. Both pledges are for free to use carparks.

It all started with Premier Daniel Andrews announcing his plan at Wendouree Station mid last week.

“No fees charged, 1000 additional free carparks at a number of different sites across the city,” he said. “If the council was left to do it themselves then rates would have to go up. The appropriate thing to do is for the state government to step in and make such a commitment.”

Western Victoria upper house MP, Labor’s Jaala Pulford, said council’s current proposed parking plan could make things harder for residents, shoppers and visitors.

“The council have put out to public consultation a plan that has caused quite some disquiet in our community,” she said.

Mr Andrew’s agreed.

“I think the Ballarat city council, dominated by the Liberal Party as it is, is all about charging people for parking, either charging you more or introducing paid carparking where the carparking is currently free.”

While welcoming the ALP promise, City of Ballarat Mayor councillor Samantha McIntosh wouldn’t be drawn into either comment on the council’s parking plan.

“We’re very excited as a city to have the Premier coming out, looking at our carparking  plan and responding with a way forward, which is about funding to be able to deliver the carparking plan,” she said.

Cr McIntosh also said the Labor pledge didn’t provide enough money to complete the 1000 spaces, whether they be multi-story or on street parking.

“$14 million won’t cover it,” she said. “We know it’s $35,000 a carpark [for multi-story].”

Two days later it was the Opposition’s turn to woo voters with a parking promise, as leader Matthew Guy announced 500 spaces and $6 million more than the ALP. Standing on Sturt Street at the Town Hall, Mr Guy outlined his competing offer and argued it was Labor policy that had resulted in the loss of parking spaces in Ballarat.

“Carparking is out of control in central Ballarat and it needs to have action to fix that problem,” he said. “Over four years the Labor Government has cut carparking though central Ballarat.”

Mr Guy also rejected his plan was a reaction to the ALP’s move.

“We’ve been working on this for some time, both with the council and our local candidates. Amy [Johnson] being a councillor knows this problem intricately and we think it’s a great way to solve this issue in Ballarat,” he said.

Unlike 48 hours earlier, Cr McIntosh attended the Opposition’s announcement. She pointed out a number of potential parking issues with the announced, and underway, government projects including the Ballarat Hospital revamp and the GovHub site.

Although she welcomed both parking offers, she said the Coalition Plan was more feasible.

“This announcement is a wonderful one that we know fits in superbly with our CBD strategy and also the population growth that we’re currently experiencing,” Cr McIntosh said.

“We welcome the announcements from State Government but what we need is the appropriate carparking to match it.” Cr McIntosh defended against claims she favoured one party’s plan over the other, saying she wasn’t invited to the ALP event.