Mike Baird retires

[Warin]

While there may be some rejoicing over the deletions ... I'd hold off...

The phrase 'better the devil you know' springs to mind for some reason.

[AUbicycles]

Contact Premier Gladys Berejiklian and request that cycling is taken seriously and included in a balanced and future orientated transport mix:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/contact-the-premier/

[mikesbytes]

Happy to see that there is new opportunity to get a balanced transport plan.

I can't see there being a reversal of the Westconnect, its gone too far to be politically stopped

Let's hope it doesn't stop the development of ramp at Milson's point, its a key component to connecting to the Narrabeen (spelling) bike path

[mikesbytes]

If the information that has come to me is correct, then the new Minister for roads is second from the left in the picture on this article

http://www.bellingencourier.com.au/stor ... ride-ends/

[CXCommuter]

A friend just texted saying tonight's news reported that Gay got the arse. Can't find any online links to confirm though.

Apparently Gladys is traveling to Queenbeyan to announce it tomorrow. No secret that Skinner resigned out of spite because she got the shove & that Gay & Piccoli are out. Real question is who will replace them.

Adrian Piccoli has also left the cabinet. This was predicted. Rob Stokes takes over the Education portfolio:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/anthony-rober ... u0m0b.html

Unable to find anything on Duncan Gay.

SMH has since updated the article to include ditching Drunken.

I don't think Piccoli should have gone, he seemed fairly reasonable. Middle of the road, few dramas. But it was going to happen with the Nationals reshuffle. As for Duncan, goodbye, farewell.

Hope in retirement your doctor tells you to ride a bike for fitness Mr Gay

[find_bruce]

If the information that has come to me is correct, then the new Minister for roads is second from the left in the picture on this article

http://www.bellingencourier.com.au/stor ... ride-ends/

Your information is correct - the new minister for Roads is indeed Melinda Pavey (with Hazard getting health & Stokes getting education)

& yes as shown she rode for country kids in 2015 & 2016 - fortunately for everyone I am not in this photo, but you can rest assured I chewed her ear for a while last year. Not sure if she is riding again this year, but I am sure she will be around so I look forward to chewing her ear some more.

[trailgumby]

I was hoping we'd get Roads and Maritime Services rolled up under the Transport portfolio where it belongs. Not to be. Looks like we're still going to have this structural dysfunction in decision-making embedded for another few years.

On the upside, now we can do this:

"A guy phones Parliament and says, "I want to speak to Duncan Gay, Minister for Roads." The receptionist replies, "I'm sorry but he resigned last week."

The next day he phones again and asks the same question. The receptionist replies, "I told you yesterday, he resigned last week."

The next day the guy calls again and asks to speak to Duncan Gay. By this time the receptionist is getting annoyed and replies, "I keep telling you that the Minister resigned last week. Why do you keep calling?"

The guy responds, "Because I just love hearing it. "

[find_bruce]

I was hoping we'd get Roads and Maritime Services rolled up under the Transport portfolio where it belongs. Not to be. Looks like we're still going to have this structural dysfunction in decision-making embedded for another few years.

Transport supremo? Be careful what you wish for. As usual yes minister sums it up best

"A guy phones Parliament and says, "I want to speak to Duncan Gay, Minister for Roads." The receptionist replies, "I'm sorry but he resigned last week."

The next day he phones again and asks the same question. The receptionist replies, "I told you yesterday, he resigned last week."

The next day the guy calls again and asks to speak to Duncan Gay. By this time the receptionist is getting annoyed and replies, "I keep telling you that the Minister resigned last week. Why do you keep calling?"

The guy responds, "Because I just love hearing it. "

[AUbicycles]

find_bruce - do you think Melinda Pavey will be cycling active in her roll as minister? As a National Party minister, can she or will she have a better position (towards a healthy and balanced transport mix)?

When Tony Abbott took to office as prime minister, I assumed that he would provide positive direction for cycling (from a Federal level) however didn't do this and positioned cycling solely as a sports activity.

The challenge of any politician in this role is dealing with the tabloids and radio jocks - Duncan Gay was very much on-side with that 'level' of media with his open opposition against bike riders. Her wikipedia profile shows that she worked as a radio journalist with 2UW so would likely be ahead of the game in understanding media.

[DrShifty]

. Her wikipedia profile shows that she worked as a radio journalist with 2UW so would likely be ahead of the game in understanding media.

2UW - how long is it since I've heard that call sign?

In my teen years I used to listen to 2UW with Ward "Pally" Austin. He was the bloke who famously said on air, "Hey girls, want something red hot and throbbing between your legs? Then (quoting advertising slogan of the day) Hop on a Honda and go!"

He was immediately sacked. So, advocating two wheel transport does not have a good history with 2UW staff.

[fishwop]

.
He was immediately sacked.

Of course he was back in the blink of an eye. He was pretty popular with teenage boys with his smutty humour, some of it quite clever.

On the subject at hand, celebrating the demise of Duncan Gay seems to me a bit like celebrating getting Sachin Tendulkar out for 300. The damage has already been done.

[AUbicycles]

We can be happy that Duncan Gay is out, but there is a mess and we have to hope that the new government will clean up the mess and then move onto progressing cycling integration and safety.

[g-boaf]

find_bruce - do you think Melinda Pavey will be cycling active in her roll as minister? As a National Party minister, can she or will she have a better position (towards a healthy and balanced transport mix)?

I believe she has been a press secretary before in the old days, so she might have an ear open to the media, but hopefully she'll also be like other press secretaries I've known who are pretty level headed.

[mikesbytes]

We can be happy that Duncan Gay is out, but there is a mess and we have to hope that the new government will clean up the mess and then move onto progressing cycling integration and safety.

Can't see the Westconnex being cancelled, the work done to date is too visible to be politically reversed.

What I can see potential for is the cancellation of projects that haven't commenced, such as the Milson's point harbour bridge ramp. That's one we need to nurture

[AUbicycles]

I agree on Westconnex and also that the habour bridge access ramp is unknown.

The moment that Duncan Gay announced the ramp, it was an out of character type project and I wondered whether it could actually be realised - until construction begins, these type of projects are very shakey - not to mention that the local cycling community appear not to have been involved and consulted.