Enhancing the E-scooter Share Scheme

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank Mr Petterson for bringing this motion before the Assembly today. I am not surprised by the large percentage of Canberrans who support the introduction of shared e-scooters into Canberra. I personally love them! Nor am I surprised by the fact that many would like to see the scheme expanded to other areas of Canberra. I would like to see that as well.

I am happy that when the scheme was first introduced, a portion of my electorate of Ginninderra was included. But currently the use of shared e-scooters is limited to Belconnen Town Centre and small parts of neighbouring suburbs, such as Bruce and Macquarie. This motion calls on the ACT Government to enhance the current scheme by expanding its geographical coverage. Gungahlin and Mitchell are mentioned by name, but I rise today to add my request that the areas where the scheme operates in the Belconnen District also be increased.

This could include expanding the area of usage around Belconnen Town Centre, maybe towards ANU or Civic, and also include looking at other areas of Belconnen that could profitably support shared e-scooters. This expansion would, of course, require increasing the number of permitted e-scooters in the scheme, a request in this motion that I likewise support.

Madam Speaker, I commend this motion to the Assembly. Thank you.