Luke Martin Liberal Candidate for Melbourne

I believe in time it could be the jewel in the crown of Melbourne, it\'s a great place that is growing although not without its problems, I don\'t believe the State Government has done all it could do to assist with that growth, but I certainly believe Docklands is critically important to the economic growth of Melbourne.

We already have some major organisations here be they banks, media organisations and as a tourist destination I think Docklands offers something different to Melbourne. There are great opportunities which again have run into problems, for instance looking out from my home in West Melbourne over to what used to be the Eye is obviously disappointing, but there is no doubt Docklands is critically important to Melbourne as a city.

As the second decade of Docklands development unfolds there has been
a lot of discussion on Docklands being an area that has a strong skeleton but
no heart and soul, do you agree with this and how will your party address
this issue in government?

I agree to some degree, but I think saying it lacks soul is a bit harsh. I would say there are great aspects in place but they need improvement, and improved especially for the residents. One of the problems under the current government has been the lack of decent community infrastructure, things like appropriate recreational space; there\'s no local football or cricket ground, no soccer pitch which I think would be a great addition for residents. Other community aspects like a church or in time a school, these are the facilities that established suburbs have, and this is another area where I feel the State Government has dropped the ball.

Initiatives recently proposed to promote community and soul in Docklands include a local school, library and outdoor facilities including bike paths, what else would you like to see put in place over the next decade of development to enhance and create a cohesive community?

It\'s great the discussion about schools and libraries are opening up and the Liberal Party will certainly be supporting and encouraging those sorts of developments. One thing that is disappointing is the area around the Woolshed Pub on the Pier, and I have nothing against the Woolshed Pub I have been there many times and it\'s great, but to have that prime real estate with a pub and a carpark on it isn\'t really doing that site justice. I am surprised the Labor Government missed the opportunity to build something really iconic to the area.

What is the answer to Docklands connectivity deficiencies from the city; will a monorail, water vehicles, the proposed metro rail and or road tunnels be viable solutions, or is covering Wurundjeri Way the major issue that needs addressing to connect Melbourne and Docklands?

I think there are a range of options that need to be discussed further, obviously there is already a large amount of infrastructure in place and with the benefit of hindsight, whether that was all put in the right place or not can be debated. Without offering magic solutions I think the concept of water vehicles is one that certainly has potential and would really create a point of difference to the area. As far as the recent announcements regarding the rail lines, I am struggling to understand how the State Labor Government can be trusted with such a full scale endeavour when they continually bungle transport systems,
just look at myki.

With the announcement that the City of Melbourne will be the responsible authority for the developed areas of Docklands and VicUrban will continue to control the underdeveloped areas; wouldn\'t a joint partnership between local and state governments on all aspects of the second decade of development be a better idea to allow more community input?

I absolutely agree with more community consultation, it the best way to achieve better policy, government on all levels working together is always ideal. The residents of Docklands are rate and tax payers, they deserve the opportunity to have a say in how their area develops. The current Labor Government is not a consultative government, just look at how poorly they have treated the residents of Footscray regarding transport plans. The process of community consultation is important across Victoria but especially in Docklands where consultation has been lacking.

What is the most pressing issue that needs to be addressed in the Melbourne electorate area, what are the key challenges Melbourne is faced with?

There are a number of issues, but for me law and order and safety are extremely important especially as a resident living and working in Melbourne. I spend a lot of time commuting on foot through the city and I have noticed a deterioration in safety on the streets and visitors to the city have also noticed this change. We want Melbourne to be a world class city and to be truly vibrant, people need to feel safe. I am really pleased to be in a party where under the Coalition Ted Ballieu has announced 1600 new police on the street and to me getting those basics of law and order back on the streets is pressing at this time.

As for other challenges, public transport is critical, again myki is a disgrace, so much has been spent on a system that does not work, the Liberal Party will explore options in this regard, but also the city deserves a clean, efficient and safe public transport system, we\'ve been let down too often with the current system.

BRIAN WALTERS - GREENS CANDIDATE ASKS:
Would the Liberal Party agree to ending the privatisation of the public transport system and provide 5 minute frequency of public transport arrivals as is the norm in major cities overseas, as well as running 24 hours and returning conductors?

No. The Greens policy is unable to be funded and I won\'t commit to returning Victoria to debt like the Greens will. Further, to state that every major city apart from Melbourne has 5 minute intervals, 24 hour trains, is wrong and shows how loose the Greens are with the truth.

Luke Martin
State Liberal Candidate for Melbourne
Email: Luke.Martin@vic.liberal.org.au
Mobile: 0402 194 310
Post: GPO Box 944 Melbourne Vic 3001