Two Maribyrnong councillors have been given the green light to travel to the Netherlands to study cycling.
Mayor Catherine Cumming and deputy mayor Sarah Carter will join an ‘active transport’ study tour in June, arguing there is much to gain for Maribyrnong from the trip despite the pair not being regular cyclists.
Cr Cumming cited the recent death of two cyclists in Maribyrnong as a trigger for the trip, while Cr Carter said the Council needs to understand how best to direct a proposed increase in cycling infrastructure spending.
The majority of councillors voted in favour of the trip at Wednesday night’s meeting, at a cost to ratepayers of about $20,000, with only Cr Martin Zakharov dissenting.
Any overseas trips funded by council must receive majority councillor support.
The tour to the Netherlands and Brussels, from June 5 to 9, would coincide with the international Velo-City 2017 conference to be held in Arnhem-Nijmegen.
A council officer’s report to the meeting suggested the study tour will “provide delegates with a better understanding of the innovation and opportunities embodied in world’s best practice regarding active transport options, developing low carbon environments and maintaining a high standard of living.”
In moving a motion to support the trip, Cr Sarah Carter said the council is committed to safe and accessible cycling infrastructure, but has been underspending compared to other inner-Melbourne councils.
“We have been criticised, and rightly so, for our lacklustre investment in cycling infrastructure,” she said.
“As we continue to plan our infrastructure we need to learn from the experience of other communities which have achieved great success.
Cr Carter said Maribyrnong is the only inner-Melbourne council not to have sent councillors or staff on the tour and that it would mark the first council-paid overseas trip for either councillor.
“I do believe we need to ensure that we’re not just fixing the gaps, but we’re future-proofing the city around active transport solutions and I think there is a lot to be learned from seeing those who are doing it particularly well.”
Cr Cuc Lam, who seconded the motion, said she would like to see a public presentation on the trip’s findings when the councillors returned.
Cr Mia McGregor said she commended the motion, but acknowledged there has been community backlash against the trip.
“I have deliberated long and hard over the decision, for me it comes down to what is a pretty time-urgent and critical issue.
“I really think there needs to be some very high-level leadership from this council.
“I would very much hope to see we make a significant investment and that they come back with some very strong best-practice solutions, and I’m very confident that will trickle down through all the council and across the city.”
Speaking against the motion, Cr Martin Zakharov said as the chair of the Metropolitan Transport Forum he knows several councillors and staff members who have taken the trip in the past.
“Two years ago it was in Adelaide and it’s a shame no-one thought about going to this when it was in Adelaide, at a significantly lower cost.
“My concern is that $20,000 is quite a lot of money and whether we gain a great deal from having two councillors going is for a start debatable. Whether a councillor going instead of a staff member going is also debatable… whether this is the best way of gaining this information is debatable.”
He cited the case of a City of Yarra councillor who paid her own way on the study tour.
“Most of this information can be gained through other sources and I honestly cannot say… that this $20,000 would be well spent.”
Mayor Catherine Cumming said the study tour came across her desk a week before mother-of-two Arzu Baglar was killed while cycling in Yarraville.
“Then the death occurred and I felt compelled to do this. I thought as a mother of five, as well as being mayor, how do I actually stop other people dying?
“Is this a junket? No. I consider myself extremely integral and honest and that’s why I’ve been voted onto council seven times in a row.
“I know this is not a junket. As someone who isn’t the biggest bike rider on this planet, I know that I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone to actually go do this, for the betterment of my city.”
