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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

UnionsACT saluting the light rail flag

capital metro

UNIONSACT has announced the findings of their own polling on the subject of light rail.

They say the poll has found that Canberrans want to support the jobs created by the light rail infrastructure project, despite the negative campaign run by the ACT Liberals.

The Secretary of UnionsACT Alex White says over 3,500 new local jobs will be created by building light rail, with substantial flow-on job creation benefits for all regions of Canberra.

“The light rail line may run up Northbourne Avenue, but the people who will build it live throughout the ACT, from Tuggeranong and Woden to Belconnen,” Alex says.

“We know that working people want to support a major job creating project like light rail, especially after the cruel cuts and mass-sackings from the Federal Abbott Government.

“The first, most basic duty of a government is to ensure there are enough jobs for people who want to work.

“Creating secure jobs for Canberrans should not be a political football. What working people want from politicians is for them to help create jobs, not block job creation.

“What is clear is that Canberra needs jobs. The local community needs the secure, safe and well-paid jobs that light rail will create in this city.”

UnionsACT will announce a public campaign to support light rail jobs in late June.

They say their polling shows that, although opinion is divided on light rail, support dramatically increases when the job creation benefits are explained.


UPDATE: Alistair Coe says the light rail poll results released by Unions ACT clearly showsthat Canberrans don’t support Andrew Barr’s plans for Capital Metro.

“According to the Union’s own research, just 38.8 percent of Canberrans support the construction of a light rail system in the ACT. Andrew Barr is clearly out of touch with the wishes of Canberrans,” Alistair said.

“The Barr government can no longer claim to have the support of the majority of Canberrans for the light rail project, given the results. The government is losing the argument on light rail and is now simply clinging to the fact that it’s spending a billion dollars as being the benefit. Only by including the promise of 3500 jobs, can they garner even the slightest level of support.

“The truth is there are many ways you could spend a billion dollars in Canberra and a local government has to be very wise in prioritising the projects our city needs.

“Light rail is not wanted by the taxpayers of Canberra and therefore it’s incumbent on the government to respect their views and not sign contracts before the next election,” Mr Coe concluded.

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