Josh Martin on council's parking backflip

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, I'm sure we were involved in all of this, EJ.
But we we have the parking situation in Burley where
the time's changed to seven am where the parking was
going to start from, and then the council said they
were changing back when everyone sort of pushed it, but
they said it was going to take three months to
get the stickers organizing the science to change. But that

(00:20):
has been changed now and it's getting done now. So
we've got Division thirteen councilor Josh Martin on the line.
Good morning mate, Good day Gaily. So talk us through
what you had to do, Josh, because obviously you had
people putting pressure on you and saying this is not
good enough. So how did it all turn around?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
I will look, you know, when the decision was made
at council, you know, the administration gave us advice that
it could take up to three months, which we had
some fierce debate about, but ultimately that was not just stickers,
but you know sign is needing to change, but the big,
big one was the electronic meters and the time that

(00:58):
a contractor would need to change that over. I put
it to the CEO that you know, we wanted to
see this change as soon as possible, So I kept
advocating to the administration for this to happen, and I'm
really pleased that they responded positively to get this done
before Christmas. So, you know, summer holidays, you're not paying

(01:19):
for that parking and I rather, you know, locals put land,
tourists put that money into local businesses.

Speaker 3 (01:24):
But why did it happen in the first place. Does
it feel a bit silly that you did it and
then taking it back again, like what's that story?

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Well, the original decision was part of a budget decision,
and since that time, the community feedback has been overwhelming.
We had a range of petitions. So following all of that,
you know, I moved a motion in council which was
supported by the majority to remove that early morning. There
still is the additional two hours in the evening, but

(01:53):
the morning was the real area. That focus that the
community were telling us just didn't sit with them.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
Right, Yeah, Well, we pride ourselves of being a healthy,
active city and it was basically targeting the healthy active
people who were trying to get to places to go
for a big walk in the morning.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, absolutely, that that was it. In that you know,
because it's not just I mean, certainly for me for
burly heads, there's Jane Street, but it's Goodwin ter Us
where you know those were people were just wanting to
rerectre out on the beach or go for a surf,
and you know it was a real it was a
lifestyle change. So really pleased that, you know, we didn't
seem to have the issue before nine am with businesses

(02:31):
with turnover, so I think it made sense. So happy
to get this one win for the community. And I
think it shows that council is willing to listen if
you know, the community of giving that feedback that it
wasn't quite right, but it's willing to revisit things and
make a change for the community.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
We like to think that it was we're here at
hot Tomato that put massive pressure on you, mate, that
you had to.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Go get it.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Definitely, it was, mate, Definitely, I.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Did hear that. I did hear a lot of that feedback,
so you must have added to the snowball and the momentum.
So well done, guys, and yeah, look, I think it
makes a lot of sense, so really great to feed
it in. It was on my Sana wish list to
see that the city has been able to do it,
you know, I thank them for doing it before the

(03:16):
Christmas holidays, but yeah, thank the community for really sharing
the feedback that really gave it the momentum to revisit.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
Because that was on your wish list. Does it mean
you get anything else made or are you done and dusted?

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well? I had this and our Shoester Park footbridge in
Eleanora which also had a February Day, and got that
opened this week, so I've had to win, so I'm
feeling quite happy about that. So yeah, the administration have
helped me out there.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
Are you looking forward to the trem being down there?

Speaker 2 (03:48):
I'm looking forward to Stage three to be finished so
Burley can get back to being beautiful.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
Thanks for joining us and letting us know what's going on, mate.
Congratulations on getting that done and getting it done before Christmas.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Thank you and thanks very much for your support on
this as well. Really appreciate it