Sophie Conlon
An “offensive” offer of “minimal improvement” to local bus services has seen City of Mount Gambier elected members hit out at the state government.
At the July council meeting elected members heard some of their advocacy had paid off with the Department of Transport and Infrastructure (DIT) granting an extension to the Mount Gambier City Bus Service North West Loop, allowing for a new stop at Mount Gambier Foodbank.
However, the chamber agreed this was not good enough with councillor Max Bruins labelling the offer offensive.
“What they’ve offered initially is offensive and akin to putting lipstick on a pig,” he said.
Mayor Lynette Martin said council had continued to advocate to Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis for a more contemporary public bus service in Mount Gambier/ Berrin.
“Amongst many shortcomings with the current service we have pointed out an inadequate service of many areas of our city,” she said.
“Most recently Minister Koutsantonis offered us the instillation of a new bus stop in proximity of Mount Gambier Foodbank, but that council would be required to then provide the bus shelter infrastructure.
“I don’t think this is good enough and falls well short of what our city requires.”
However, a DIT spokesperson said Ms Martin had previously supported the idea.
“The mayor of the City of Mount Gambier attended the meeting with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport where a route extension was proposed to provide better access to the Foodbank Hub,” the spokesperson said.
“At this meeting, the mayor supported this as an interim measure.”
The original recommendation to council included pursuing the bus stop instillation, however an amendment was put forward and ultimately carried.
The amended motion would see council thank Mr Koutsantonis, but reinforce that while Foodbank was a priority site, it was one of many sites for which improved access was required.
Subsequently council staff would prepare information for a bus stop near Foodbank, continue the current bus stop audit and consult Foodbank on current requirements before again reinforcing to Mr Koutsantonis that there was a “comprehensive need to improve the overall service”, especially to sites like the Mount Gambier Hospital.
In moving the amended motion councillor Paul Jenner said council’s advocacy needed to be stronger.
“To say that this is disgusting is a nice way of saying it,” he said.
“We should have the same quality of life, the people of Mount Gambier, as they in Adelaide.
“Yes, it will cost more dollars, but our community deserves it.”
Councillor Frank Morello seconded the amended motion and said advocacy had to be undertaken within the community.
“We have been advocating for quite some time regarding this issue and they’ve thrown us a bone in terms of a bus stop at Foodbank, but we need much much more than that,” he said.
“We really need to step up and the community needs to step up and campaign as well to really get some traction on this important issue,” he said.
The DIT spokesperson said the route extension could be implemented “as soon as the City of Mount Gambier installs a new bus stop near the Foodbank Hub”.
Council would also make a submission to the state government’s regional transport review calling for a “more holistic and contemporary public transport system rather than a piecemeal approach”.
he DIT spokesperson said the regional public transport review would “identify opportunities for better integration of public transport services in regional centres, including Mount Gambier”.
“Detailed consultation will be undertaken across the state and will include key stakeholders such as local health services, councils and community passenger networks, and local communities, through public consultation meetings,” the spokesperson said.
“This feedback will assist in the design of an enhanced network that meets the broad transport needs of regional communities.”
