Hermann Vorster pushes back on Burleigh parking fees

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And the council is increasing parking from seven to seven
rather than nine till five. So Burley MP Herman Vorster
is joining us because he's outraged, like we are. Hello Herman,
good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
How are you going?

Speaker 3 (00:11):
See you're doing the rounds?

Speaker 1 (00:12):
You're famous today?

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Oh come well, I mean this the parkings, that talk
of the town. If I can each myself to those
coat tails, why not?

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Okay, so what is going on? I mean we all
look paying for parking sucks regardless, but what's the story.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, look, it's not just about how much you pay,
it's when you have to pay. So it used to
be nine to five, which was fair enough, but now
it's seven to seven. So you're going if you're walking
your dog, you going to the beach, you're doing an
active and healthy exercise. You're now being slugged for it.
And people are now turning away from Burley, which sucks

(00:48):
because light rail has already pushed a lot of people out,
so businesses are suffering. The actually need a bit of
support rather than this kick in the guards. Sunny Coast
to Woomba, Brisbone, even here at the Gold Coast, a hotter,
they all have free parking for like the first fifteen
thirty minutes, hour or four hours. We're just asking for
the same.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
You know what though at Hotter I don't know if
you've listened to our show, but a couple of weeks
ago we were talking about how even though it's free
for four hours, you still have to put your details
in and if you don't put your details in you
get a fine. And everyone going on Sunday mornings to
the Hotterer markets are getting fines and they're outraged.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, look, I mean they that's a good point. I've
had those complaints as well. But the system seems to
be working just like that into Woomba and Brisbane without issue.
So I think if Counselor had to roll out more
fifteen thirty or an hour's worth of free parking and
people got used to it, we wouldn't end up with
that situation. They get caught out because hot is the
only place you can do it.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
So do you still is it the same system where
you still have to put your details into the meters
so that you can actually count the amount of free
time as much as you are counting the meted time.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yes, So it's two things. First of all, we don't
want it to kicking at seven am. We wanted to
go at nine am, so you don't even have to
have the worry of putting your license plate in right
to begin with. But for the free parking, yeah, that's
what businesses suggest, punching in your license plate. So they're
the ones who developed that idea. I think it's worth
backing in and hey, if it works in Burley, they
might roll it out across the Gold Coast and wouldn't

(02:19):
that be good.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
So politically it's tricky for you because you've gone from
being a counselor to now being a MP, so you
can see the change within your own constituents.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Well, it's not really tricky because I never have I
would never have voted as a counselor for this kind
of thing, especially without consultation. When it was a counselor
in varsity, I went to the people and I said, look,
how do you want to manage parking? What hours do
you want charges or not? I put it in the
hands of the people. But the decision in Burley was
done behind closed doors during budget and people found out

(02:51):
only after the stickers went up on the signs. That's
the difference.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
There's been a lot behind closed doors lately.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, well, well look, you know, the parking is the
one issue that burns in my mind. But yeah, I
think it's healthy when you can share as much as
possible with people for making decisions. I know councils now
resolved to introduce parking permits along the light rail stage three.
They surveyed the community credit to them, but eighty percent
of people said no, and they still went and did it.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
So how long before you're going to make an impact
do you think they're going to do it?

Speaker 2 (03:22):
Look, we only need as far as I know, we
only need one counselor to flip. The decision to bring
in these fees was I think an eight to seven vote.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
God, if you surveyed me, I'd say I don't want
to pay for parking at all. But that's just me.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
With you.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
But I've never met anyone saying, oh, yeah, I like
paying for parking.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
Yeah, I like paying nineve that'd be great. My survey
would be, though, I don't want to pay it all.
I already pay rates.

Speaker 3 (03:46):
What a great?

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, totally, I'm a worser. Thanks for your time this morning.
Thanks guys. Bye,