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Australian Bicycle Summit

Australian Bicycle Summit - Wednesday, 16 March 2016

Above: Canberra's iconic Lobby Restaurant was the venue for the 2016 Summit Parliamentary Dinner.

Australian bicycle organisations and industry leaders came together again in Canberra for the national Bicycle Summit on Wednesday, 16th March.

The Summit is the key opportunity every year for Australian cycling organisations to discuss a national agenda for cycling and build consensus for a unified approach to federal government.

Following Prime Minister Turnbull’s focus on a new engagement in the Cities Agenda and appointment of the Hon Angus Taylor as Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation, the Bicycle Summit was one of the first occasions to hear from Minister Taylor about his plans in the Ministerial Key Note Address.

The Summit was also privileged to hear from US President Obama's appointee and Executive Director of the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, Ms Shellie Pfohl, who discussed the work in the US that has seen the rate of childhood obesity decline for the first time in history. Ms Pfohl provided the Key Note Address.

The Parliamentary hosts for the event were the Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Better Cities, Trent Zimmerman MP, Andrew Giles MP and Senator Janet Rice. Each was able to present their thoughts to the assembled Parliamentarians, industry and bike sector guests. The work done over several years with Parliamentarians means the bicycle sector has a strong network that enables effective government relations efforts to be undertaken to raise issues in favour of better conditions for bicycle riders.

All Australian bicycle sector organisations were present at the event (just the NT couldn't make it), and announced their policy platform for the 2016 federal election campaign, agreed to by all organisations during the Summit sessions on the day.

While the principal element of the campaign was announced - a national $10 per person, per year investment in bicycle infrastructure - full development of the campaign materials, background and actions will be undertaken to coincide with the elections when they are announced.

The following official statement was made to the Minister, attending Members of Parliament, industry and guests: 

The Australian bicycle summit calls on the government to invest in Australia's future by enabling more people to ride their bikes every day through an infrastructure investment of $10 per person per annum.

This investment relieves our congested cities and local communities, solves our sedentary lifestyle crisis, and provides economic, safety and environmental benefits.

Major awards were also announced in the Cycling Promotion Fund's national Cycling Luminaries Awards in the categories of Bike Culture and Behaviour Change, Infrastructure and the Built Environment and Leadership.

A few of the highlights from this gala occasion follow.

Principal Key Note Address - Ms Shellie Pfohl

Executive Director, President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition

 Link to President's Council: here

Ministerial Key Note Address

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation, Hon Angus Taylor MP

Link to transcript of Minister's speech: here 

Cycling Luminary Award for Leadership

Craig Wooldridge, WA Department of Transport

Awards website: here

Cycling Luminary Award for Infrastructure and Built Environment

The Barossa Council for the Bike Hub

Awards website: here

Cycling Luminary Award for Bike Culture and Behaviour Change

The A Metre Matters campaign - the Amy Gillett Foundation

Awards website: here

Industry leaders from the Better Cities supporting peak bodies which include PIA, ALGA, BIC, ARA, REIA, CCCLM, GBCA, PCA

Bicycle Industries Australia GM, Peter Bourke with Barossa Council guests, Joanne Thomas and Heidi Helbig

Shadow Minister for Cities, Hon Anthony Albanese with ACT Minister for Transport & Municipal Services, Meegan Fitzharris and Stephen Hodge

Deputy Head of Mission, Danish Royal Embassy Ole Neustrup and Trade Advisor, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Lilian Melink

Minister Taylor with Trent Zimmerman MP and the CPF's Stephen Hodge

Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton and Robyn Coulton, Jeff Ibbotson, Justin White, Andrew McEwin & Dave Mohr

Petrina Quinn, Michael Yang, Craig Wooldridge, Ben Wilson, Abraham Wile and Craig Richards

Jeremey Murray, Graeme Moffett, Sara Stace, with Rodney & Kathy Tolley (Walk21)

Chris Langdon, Sam Salter, Andrew Giles MP, Kuga Kugarthas and Peter Bourke

Chris Simpson, Dave Evans, Ray Rice, Sarah Smith and Phil Latz

Andy Turnbull, Heidi Helbig, Joanne Thomas, Kurt Rihs, Omar Khalifa, Ed Hore and Dr Damien Hickman

Contact for more information: Stephen Hodge, Government Relations Manager, mobile 0411 149 910.

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Australian Bicycle Summit 2015

 Australia’s top state bike riding advocacy organisations and industry leaders united at the inaugural Australian Bicycle Summit, held at Parliament House in Canberra on the 3rd and 4th March.

Eleven bicycle advocacy orgnisations from around Australia came together at the summit, which highlighted the economic, social and environmental benefits of cycling and identified solutions to generate the investment and policies required to get more Australians cycling. 

The Parliamentary Dinner was a highlight with substantial representation from MPs and Senators and dual Key Note Address from global travel demand guru, Rose McArthur (Mott McDonald), and Director of Engineering Services (and Active Transport expert) at the City of Gold Coast, Alton Twine.

The Summit was followed up by the national advocate organisations taking their position to a series of meetings with Ministers, Shadow Ministers, MPs and Senators the next day.  

Above: eleven bicycle organisations joined for the 2015 Australian Bicycle Summit.

Below is the statement released following the summit:

Australian Bicycle Summit 2015 Canberra

On 3 March, the Australian Bicycle Summit met in Canberra to develop an ambitious vision to make Australia more productive through the implementation of policy options to get more Australians cycling.

We are seeking consideration of the following outcomes as the first steps towards a healthier and safer Australia.

Increasing the number of Australians cycling will help to address critical challenges confronting the Australian community, in particular:

INFRASTRUCTURE

Challenge: Transport congestion and a lack of comprehensive active travel infrastructure is having a significant impact on national productivity at an estimated cost of $20 billion per annum by 2020.

Solution: Ensure that infrastructure projects funded through transport investment programs reflect all transport modes including riding and walking infrastructure as part of the works.

Outcome: Safe cycling infrastructure increases the uptake of cycling within the community. More cycling friendly communities enhance property values, increase opportunities for local small business and develop a more productive and engaged workforce.

SAFETY

Challenge: While the overall road toll has decreased by 3.7 per cent per year, bicycle rider fatalities have risen by around 7.4 per cent year on year over the past five years.

Solution: Carry out a broader safety review including directing your department to support the Australian Road Rules Maintenance Group to assess a minimum overtaking distance as part of the Model Australian Road Rules. Half of the States and Territories have already adopted or committed to trialing safe overtaking rules to protect bicycle riders.

Outcome: A safer Australia as part of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2015‐2017.

HEALTH

Challenge: Inactivity related illnesses are on track to become the biggest killer of Australians at a cost of $58 billion in indirect costs per annum.

Solution: Australia needs a national approach to physical inactivity to address chronic diseases. The national approach should prioritise the active travel options of riding and walking.

Outcome: A more active Australia. A significant reduction in health spending; increased national productivity and better quality of life.

The cycling sector wants to work collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government to deliver these outcomes for Australia.

Key Note Address

Above: Alton Twine, City of Gold Coast and travel demand management expert (London Olympics 2012, Glasgow & Gold Coast Commonwealth Games) Rose McArthur both provided compelling key note addresses on the potential of cycling to change the game in our centres and cities.

Parliamentary Speakers

Below: Assistant Minister for Education and Rider on the Hill, Hon Luke Hartsuyker with Ambassadors, His Excellency Mr Børge Petersen (Denmark) and Her Excellency Mrs Annemieke Ruigrok (Netherlands).

Above: MC Stephen Hodge and Her Excellency Mrs Ruigrok discuss Dutch cycling and the Study Tour organised to Netherlands by CPF & Netherlands Govt last September for senior transport officials, city transport executives and motoring groups.

Riders on the Hill

Above: the Riders on the Hill (Parliamentary cycling group) attended the Australian Bicycle Summit Dinner in force! Here with their Excellencies the Ambassadors of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Denmark and Key Note Speakers, Rose McArthur and Alton Twine

(left to right; Dr Andrew Laming MP, Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Andrew Taylor, Eric Hutchinson MP, Hon Bernie Ripoll MP, Dr David Gillespie MP, Rose McArthur, Matt Williams MP, Stephen Hodge, Her Excellency Mrs Annemieke Ruigrok, Mark Coulton MP, Angus Taylor MP, His Excellency Mr Petersen, Alton Twine, Greg Kachel (Office Senator John Williams).

Above: Bernie Ripoll takes a tour with Dr David Gillespie and Stephen Hodge looking on.

Power assisted electric bike event for MPs and Senators at Parliament House

Above: Phil Latz explains e-bikes to Anthony Albanese, Bernie Ripoll and Stephen Hodge.

Above: Paul van Bellen fits Senator Lisa Singh for an e-bike test ride.

Below: Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens Transport Spokesperson, comes for a look despite an injured ankle preventing her from going for a ride. Later in the day her motion on cycling safety, the #OzBikeSummit and support for better investment and infrastructure for cycling was passed in the Senate. Her motion made special mention of the tragic death of Alberto Paulon earlier in the week and conveyed the condolence of the Senate to his friends and family.

Above: Senator David Leyonhjelm came down to find out more about Pedelecs as well.

Above: The Australian bicycle industry were strong supporters for the  e-bike testing event at Parliament House for the Australian Bicycle Summit.

Summit program

Bringing the sector together, the summit will also feature the first time that key Australian bicycle brands have joined with the advocacy sector to develop a unified platform.

Featuring leading bicycle brands including Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, Merida, Derby, Shimano and SRAM

With the outstanding knowledge in Canberra, the sector 

The industry will undertake a program including:

• Overview of the Australian and International E-bike 'scene'
• Australian bicycle data - what there is, what are the gaps and what the industry is willing to do
• ACCC - the future of Australian Standards
• Workshop - current issues and what the idustry can do
• Meetings with relevant Parliaemntarians and their staff

Proudly sponsored by 

Partners in the Summit

2016 Netherlands Study Tour Co-hosts

Stephen Hodge

Co-host of the 2016 Influentials Study Tour to the Netherlands, Stephen Hodge brings a wealth of experience to the role. In addition to a life-time of cycling that started with every child’s milestone of learning to ride and riding to school through high school and college, Stephen’s love of cycling took him to Europe where he competed at the highest levels of amateur and professional cycling over a 13 year career. 

Since then, he has designed several community cycling facilities and consulted to local governments on cycling infrastructure, undertaken volunteer and professional event management roles, and for the last eight years has undertaken the national advocacy role for the Cycling Promotion Fund. In this time he has built a national profile across the sector in his efforts to focus on national consensus for action on the promotion and investment in cycling. 

Stephen loves addressing small and large groups and spreading knowledge about the benefits of cycling to opinion leaders and decision makers around the country. 

He is pleased to once again be accompanying a group of senior national decision makers to the Netherlands and believes the 2016 study tour will provide participants with a unique and in-depth insight into all aspects of Dutch cycling culture and its relevance to Australia’s future transport and community development.

Peter Bourke

Co-hosting with Stephen in 2016, Peter Bourke has had extensive experience in the sports management and community engagement sectors in the private, governmnet, and not-for- profit sectors for almost 20 years.

Spending several years in management positions with the YMCA across Australia, and fitness facilities in America, Peter took on management roles within indigenous sport and community education, before moving to community engagement and development with the government sector.

In his current role, Peter leads the peak body for the bicycle industry, and achieving key results in relationship management, industry engagement, training and future investment. Peter is also a member of the Auto Skills Australia board, the Industry Skills Council responsible for all Automotive, marine and bicycle trainig packages in Australia. Peter took the General Manager role of the peak body for the Australian bicycle industry in 2010.

Cycling Promotion Fund

2016 Australian Bicycle Summit & Parliamentary Dinner

Australian bicycle organisations and industry leaders came together again in Canberra for the national Bicycle Summit on Wednesday, 16th March.

The Summit is the key opportunity every year for Australian cycling organisations to build consensus for a unified approach to federal government and advocate directly to Ministers, Shadow Ministers and Parliamentarians for a national agenda for cycling. Supported by industry leaders and national peak bodies from public transport, health, property, local government and planning sectors this is a key event for cycling advocacy each year.

Highlights:

• Presentation of bicycle sectors national platform for the 2016 Federal Election campaign - for details see the Australian Bicycle Summit page here.
• Ministerial Key Note Address - Hon Angus Taylor MP, Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation.
• Principal Key Note Address - Ms Shellie Pfohl, US President Obama appointee and Executive Director of the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
• Hosted by the Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Better Cities, Trent Zimmerman MP, Andrew Giles MP and Senator Janet Rice.
• 2016 Cycling Luminaries Awards announced, see more information here: cyclingawards.com.au

Ministerial Key Note Address - Hon Angus Taylor MP

Principal Key Note Address - Ms Shellie Pfohl, Executive Director, US President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition

Co-Chairs, Andrew Giles MP and Trent Zimmerman with Shadow Attorney-General, Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP

For more details see the Australian Bicycle Summit page here.

Parliamentary Friends of Better Cities - launch of 2015 national Active Travel Report & Key Note Address by A/Prof Matt Burke

Mural Hall, Parliament House

Key Note Address video + CPF/Heart Foundation Report launch video, links below.

The Cycling Promotion Fund launched the 2015 Investment in Active Travel Report to a large audience of Senators and MPs in Parliament. It was part of the Parliamentary Friends of Better Cities event which the CPF supports with 12 national peak groups. Our 2015 Report is the fifth annual survey conducted in Partnership with the Heart Foundation on national attitudes and barriers to active travel.

Below: Co-Chairs of Better Cities group, Jane Prentice MP, Andrew Giles MP, Senator Janet Rice (deputising for Adam Bandt MP), with the reps from 12 national peak organisations.

Above: A/Prof Matt Bourke in the middle of a very entertaining speech on the value of active travel.

VIDEO: Associate Professor Matt Burke's speech in Parliament can be viewed here.

REPORT: download the 2015 Cycling Promotion Fund/Heart Foundation survey report here.

MEDIA: read the joint Heart Foundation - Cycling Promotion Fund media release here.

VIDEO: watch CPF's launch of the Report here.

 Above: Stephen Hodge launches the 2015 survey report in Parliament.

The Australian Bicycle Summit - Canberra, 3-4 March 2015

The Cycling Promotion Fund

Making our communities more cycle friendly can help Australians fight climate change, address the obesity epidemic, reduce congestion and make our cities more liveable and of course help many people realize just how much fun riding a bike is.