Announcing the Better Streets 2025 Federal Election Campaign
Our 2025 federal election campaign is underway!
With our coalition partners we’ll travel to Canberra to meet with politicians and make our case for more investment.
Throughout 2025 federal election, we’re campaigning to significantly increase funding for walking and cycling in towns and cities across Australia. Our goal is to boost the Australian Government's funding commitment from a measly $0.92 per person to a modest $15 per person every year.
Our ask: $400 million annual Active Transport Infrastructure Program
Our campaign calls for the Australian Government to establish an Active Transport Infrastructure Program. This $400 million annual commitment, which equates to $15 per person, will run for the duration of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026 to 2035.
It will ensure that complete walking and cycling networks are fully delivered in 20 cities and towns throughout Australia. Doing this will:
enable everyday Australians to get healthy and fit, at minimal cost to their household budgets
reduce local traffic congestion - we all love “school holiday traffic”!
reduce noise and air pollution around schools, shopping centres and other busy areas
help state and federal governments meet their legislated requirement to cut carbon emissions from transport
slash billions of dollars in healthcare costs over the next few decades and
support local businesses to thrive.
Our numbers show that this investment will increase cycling mode share fivefold, resulting in $40 billion in economic benefits by 2050. This represents a higher rate of return than any other transport investment, and provides affordable and equitable access for communities around Australia.
Program Funding Allocation
Our proposed program would fund 50-50 federal and state funding for:
15 regional cities to build comprehensive networks of walking and cycling paths, similar to Wagga Wagga in NSW which built a 56km network for $15 million in just a few years.
The four largest capital cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane) to build comprehensive networks of "Cycling Superhighways," shared paths, and pedestrian crossings. These projects are already listed on Infrastructure Australia’s Priority List, but need the funding to get off the ground.
Enabling initiatives such as e-bike subsidies, similar to those in Tasmania.
The Proposal
Better Streets is asking all political parties and independents to commit to:
Fund $400 million annually (equivalent to $15 per person every year) to deliver networks in regional and capital cities in every state, supported by enabling initiatives such as e-bike subsidies.
Establish a unit within the Department of Infrastructure (DITRDCA) to oversee a ten year Active Transport Infrastructure Program, from 2026 to 2035.
Parliament House, Canberra
Our board members Sam Johnson and Sara Stace, here with Stephen Hodge of We Ride, met with politicians in Canberra in June 2023.
We need your support to make this vision a reality! Can you help?
For Organisations: Show your support by formally endorsing our campaign here.
For Individuals: We’re looking for volunteers to help us! Please submit your interest to volunteer your time (ideally 3 hours/week) to Sam Johnson, Vice President of Better Streets Australia (sjohnson@betterstreets.org.au) by February 7 2025. We need:
2 volunteers to coordinate communications with Partner Organisations.
1 volunteer to monitor the campaign web page responses.
1 volunteer to create social media tiles and graphics.
Together, we can create safer, more accessible streets for everyone. Join us in advocating for a greener, healthier future for Australia.
