Green campaigners unaware of Green policy opposing Clearway in Prahran

In an extraordinary display of ignorance Green Campaigner Workers handing out How to vote cards in Prahran were misleading voters about Greens policy of Opposition to Clearway on Toorak Road and Malvern Roads.

Campaign Worker Don Kerr, who had taken off two weeks from work to help hand out for the Greens, when asked why the Greens opposed Clearways said they were not.

Shock horror!! It turns out that the Greens in Prahran electorate in fact do oppose the establishment of Clearways, but they have not been forthcoming with wanting to share this information with the concerned voter.

Public transport users are outrage as are local residents who have to put up with excessive traffic congestion and pollution. Many voters were dismayed to learn that the reason behind the Green's Prahran branches opposition to clearways is that they want traffic congestion as they are of the view that this will force people back onto public transport. Forget logic and the fact that Trams travelling down Toorak and Malvern Roads are excessively delayed in the road congestion due to the lack of clearways.

Public Transport users are angry as they were of the belief that the Greens were about wanting to improve access to public transport not oppose it.

Thousands of constituents that use public transport in Prahran should think twice about voting Green tomorrow knowing that they spend 15 minutes longer then necessary caught in traffic because of the Greens anti-public transport policy.


There appears to be a clear conflict of policy between the central branch policy and the local branch. The Prahran Greens have joined forces with the Liberal party and the Local Traders association who with the support of the Stonnington Council have engaged in a campaign of deceit and lies about clearways in the hope of attracting support and preferences for Liberal Candidate Clem Newton-Brown.

Both Clem and his mother were handing out How to vote cards all day outside the Prahran pre-polling booth as commuters trapped in the afternoon peak hour traffic were delayed further by Clem's flotilla of Mini Minor bill board towing advertisements.

Calls for Clem Newton Brown to commit to removing Tolls on City Link

Inner City residents of Prahran and South Yarra are concerned about the environmental and economic impacts of traffic congestion. Local traffic has gotten worst since the construction of the City Link toll way with no solutions in sight.

Thn Stonnington Council and Liberal Party candidate for Prahran, Clem Newton Brown, have come under fire for opposing Clear way restrictions along Toorak and Malvern Roads. The traffic just backs up as motorist seek alternate routs to avoid paying the City Link Toll, said one resident, The backed up traffic is making life worst as noise pollution and smog increases.

Residents say they do not go shopping during the peak hour period as traffic moves at a snails pace. The establishment of a clear way during peak hour times would free up traffic and public transport movement and would reduce the stress residents are currently under.

Contrary to the City of Stonington's claims a clear way would also be good for local retails outlets as customers would be able to get to their shops. 

If Clem Newton Brown wanted to help residents and traders he should commit to removing the Tolls on City link which his party, when in Government, imposed on the area. The removal of the City Link Tolls would free up traffic from local street and the burden on inner city living

Clem's Signs: Clogging up the Streets of Prahran

Clem Newton-Brown's road clogging advertising

Clem Newton-Brown, Liberal Candidate for the State Lower house seat of Prahran, has engaged a number of trike "advertising bikes" to help sell his message. As if the traffic in Prahran is not bad enough.

Clem (who, contrary to the rumors, is not the love child of Bob Brown and Bert Newton) has not yet door knocked his electorate, although he has been seen loitering around the pedestrian crossing outside the Prahran Market on weekends.

Clem has decided to jump on the bandwagon and is campaigning on trying to stop the clear ways being introduced in Toorak Road has outraged residents of his electorate with his road clogging signs with calls for Trike mobile advertising to be banned under the road and traffic act

Whilst there are some traders who think the clear ways are not good for business the fact is neither are clogged up roads. Locals as well as commuter traffic are affected by the slow moving peak hour traffic. As any local will tell you they avoid shopping during the peak hour period as the congestion on the roads is so bad that it makes shopping in peak hour somewhat difficult if not impossible. It has nothing to do with getting a car park in on the main street, its getting there.  To add to the problem locals have to put up with increased traffic noise and pollution as the traffic inches along at a snail pace.

Whilst most people find clear ways a nuisance, at times annoying, the fact is they are good for local business and locals alike.

Of course if Clem really wanted to do something for the electorate he hopes to represent he could fight to have the tolls on the Monash freeway removed from the section between the City and Burwood. He could also do something about noise abatement along the rail lines in his electorate.

Somehow I think the message sent to the electorate by his road cluttering Trikes is sending the wrong message to help his campaign.

Clem Newton-Brown:Top of the Ballot in Prahran

Prahran

Electorate Map

Marginal Labor 3.6%

Liberal aspirant Clem Newton Brown has secured the all important Top-of-the-ballot position in Prahran.  Prahran is one of the most marginal inner city seats and on the must win list of the Liberal Party.  Being place on the top of the ballot gives Clem an advantage over his main opponent Tony Lupton.  Clem is expected not only to pick up the so called "Donkey vote" where voters vote top down the list of candidates but he will also collect the "inverse donkey vote" where voters vote 1 for the candidates of their choice and then number top to bottom filling in the blanks.  Laptop has the lessor favourite position of being place last on the ballot paper. he will benefit from the "Reverse Donkey vote" where people vote bottom up. Not a good position to be but better then in the middle of the pack.

Lupton will have to work that much harder to retain the seat of Prahran

Had the Labor Government introduce a "Robson Rotation" in the lower house - a system where the order of the ballot paper changes in the printing of the ballot papers - the donkey vote would not apply. To best understand the effect of the "Donkey vote" it is worth noting that the "Donkey vote"  elected Robert Doyle to the position of Lord Mayor. Had his opponent Peter McMullin had the top of the ballot he may have won.


Candidate                                 Party

NEWTON-BROWN, Clem	LIBERAL
CHRISTOFAKIS, Mini	AUSTRALIAN GREENS
ANDERSON, Katharine	Independent
RONCHI, Simon	FAMILY FIRST
VEGA, Christian	SEX PARTY
LUPTON, Tony	AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY