← All decisions

1. What was proposedAndrew BraddockGreens · Crossbench
   Read the original wording (400 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the best way to get Canberrans onto buses is to make them frequent, reliable and convenient. The Public Transport Association of Canberra’s ideal targets for local bus routes are 15-minute frequencies or better during weekday peak and 30-minute frequencies off-peak and on weekends; (b) that the current minimum bus frequencies is every one hour or better on weekdays and every two hours on Saturday evenings and Sundays; (c) during the 2024 Election campaign, the following parties made the following commitments to minimum bus service frequencies by 2028: (i) the ACT Greens committed to run weekday suburban buses every 20 minutes or better during weekdays and every 30 minutes or better on weekends; (ii) the Canberra Liberals committed to run weekday suburban buses every 30 minutes or better during weekdays and every 30 minutes or better on weekends; and (iii) ACT Labor committed to run weekday suburban buses every 20 minutes or better during weekdays and every one hour or better on weekends; (d) other parties also reflected on their websites community concerns about bus service frequencies; and (e) the supply and confidence agreement between the ACT Greens and ACT Labor states: (i) “Progressively increasing bus service frequency to every 20 minutes on weekdays throughout the term starting in 2025”; (ii) “Increasing frequency on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and making further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce”; and (iii) “Increasing frequency on key existing Rapid bus services and introducing new Rapid bus services before the end of the term”; and (2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) commit that the ACT shall, by October 2028, improve frequency for all bus services to at least every 20 minutes or better on weekdays, and 30 minutes or better on the weekends; (b) table in the Assembly by 31 March 2025: (i) the Government’s plan to increase bus frequency: A. to every 20 minutes on weekdays, and at least hourly on weekends starting in 2025; and B. on key existing Rapid bus services and what new Rapid bus services will be introduced before the end of the term; and (ii) specific information as to when in 2025 these bus frequency improvements will become available for bus system users and to which services; and (c) provide progress reports to the Assembly every six months on bus frequency until these objectives are reached, or to October 2028, whichever is sooner.

2. Proposed changeChris SteelLabor · Minister5 December 2024

   Weekend buses every hour instead of every 30 minutes, further improvements subject to the workforce, and reports until October 2028. Our summary, review in progress

   The exact wording of this change

   Omit all words after paragraph (1)(e)(iii), substitute: “(2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) commit that the ACT Government shall by October 2028 progressively improve frequency for all bus services to at least every 20 minutes or better on weekdays, and increase frequency on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and make further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce; (b) table in the Assembly by 31 March 2025: (i) the Government’s plan to increase bus frequency: A. to every 20 minutes on weekdays over the term, starting in 2025; B. on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and making further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce; and C. on key existing Rapid bus services and what new Rapid bus services will be introduced before the end of the term; and (ii) specific information as to when in 2025 bus frequency improvements will become available for bus systems users, and to which services; and (c) provide progress reports to the Assembly every six months on bus frequency until October 2028.”. Debate continued.

   Agreed in a recorded vote, 13 to 8. Its wording is in the final text.

   Ayes 13

   • Andrew Barr, Marisa Paterson, Yvette Berry, Michael Pettersson, Chris Steel, Tara Cheyne, Caitlin Tough, Taimus Werner-Gibbings
   • Andrew Braddock, Shane Rattenbury, Jo Clay, Laura Nuttall
   • Fiona Carrick

   Noes 8

   • Chiaka Barry, Mark Parton, Peter Cain, Leanne Castley, Ed Cocks, James Milligan, Deborah Morris
   • Thomas Emerson
3. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

   Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.

   Final agreed wording, with changes marked

   That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the best way to get Canberrans onto buses is to make them frequent, reliable and convenient. The Public Transport Association of Canberra’s ideal targets for local bus routes are 15-minute frequencies or better during weekday peak and 30-minute frequencies off-peak and on weekends; (b) that the current minimum bus frequencies is every one hour or better on weekdays and every two hours on Saturday evenings and Sundays; (c) during the 2024 Election campaign the following parties made the following commitments to minimum bus service frequencies by 2028: (i) the ACT Greens committed to run weekday suburban buses every 20 minutes or better during weekdays and every 30 minutes or better on weekends; (ii) the Canberra Liberals committed to run weekday suburban buses every 30 minutes or better during weekdays and every 30 minutes or better on weekends; and (iii) ACT Labor committed to run weekday suburban buses every 20 minutes or better during weekdays and every one hour or better on weekends; (d) other parties also reflected on their websites community concerns about bus service frequencies; and (e) the supply and confidence agreement between the ACT Greens and ACT Labor states: (i) “Progressively increasing bus service frequency to every 20 minutes on weekdays throughout the term starting in 2025”; (ii) “Increasing frequency on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and making further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce”; and (iii) “Increasing frequency on key existing Rapid bus services and introducing new Rapid bus services before the end of the term”; and (2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) commit that the ACT Government shall by October 2028 progressively improve frequency for all bus services to at least every 20 minutes or better on weekdays, and increase frequency on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and make further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce; (b) table in the Assembly by 31 March 2025: (i) the Government’s plan to increase bus frequency: A. to every 20 minutes on weekdays over the term, starting in 2025; B. on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and making further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce; and C. on key existing Rapid bus services and what new Rapid bus services will be introduced before the end of the term; and (ii) specific information as to when in 2025 bus frequency improvements will become available for bus systems users, and to which services; and (a) provide progress reports to the Assembly every six months on bus frequency until October 2028.

   Original and final wording compared

   taken out put in

   That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the best way to get Canberrans onto buses is to make them frequent, reliable and convenient. The Public Transport Association of Canberra’s ideal targets for local bus routes are 15-minute frequencies or better during weekday peak and 30-minute frequencies off-peak and on weekends; (b) that the current minimum bus frequencies is every one hour or better on weekdays and every two hours on Saturday evenings and Sundays; (c) during the 2024 Election campaign the following parties made the following commitments to minimum bus service frequencies by 2028: (i) the ACT Greens committed to run weekday suburban buses every 20 minutes or better during weekdays and every 30 minutes or better on weekends; (ii) the Canberra Liberals committed to run weekday suburban buses every 30 minutes or better during weekdays and every 30 minutes or better on weekends; and (iii) ACT Labor committed to run weekday suburban buses every 20 minutes or better during weekdays and every one hour or better on weekends; (d) other parties also reflected on their websites community concerns about bus service frequencies; and (e) the supply and confidence agreement between the ACT Greens and ACT Labor states: (i) “Progressively increasing bus service frequency to every 20 minutes on weekdays throughout the term starting in 2025”; (ii) “Increasing frequency on weekends starting in 2025 (hourly) and making further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce”; and (iii) “Increasing frequency on key existing Rapid bus services and introducing new Rapid bus services before the end of the term”; and (2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) commit that the ACT [put in: Government]shall by October 2028 [put in: progressively]improve frequency for all bus services to at least every 20 minutes or better on weekdays, and [taken out: 30 minutes or better][put in: increase frequency]on [taken out: the]weekends [put in: starting in 2025 (hourly) and make further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce;](b) table in the Assembly by 31 March 2025: (i) the Government’s plan to increase bus frequency: A. to every 20 minutes on weekdays [taken out: and at least hourly][put in: over the term, starting in 2025; B.]on weekends starting in 2025 [put in: (hourly)]and [taken out: B.][put in: making further improvements subject to future engagement with the workforce; and C.]on key existing Rapid bus services and what new Rapid bus services will be introduced before the end of the term; and (ii) specific information as to when in 2025 [taken out: these]bus frequency improvements will become available for bus [taken out: system][put in: systems]users, and to which services; and [taken out: (c)][put in: (a)]provide progress reports to the Assembly every six months on bus frequency until [taken out: these objectives are reached, or to]October 2028. [taken out: whichever is sooner.]

   Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.