Shannon Leigh is co-founder and Director of Streets for People, and previously an award-winning urban and transport planner at the Department of Transport and later Curtin University. Investment in active transport is one of the most jobs-rich, climate-friendly stimulus measures available. And given cost blow-outs in public health, climate related damage, and car dominated infrastructure, it’s another vital transition more of us are after – especially in the wake of the tripling of cycling in Perth since COVID-19.

On that alone, WA’s former Auditor General, Colin Murphy, said that “It is hard to think of an activity with more benefits than cycling, for cyclists and for the wider community.” So to talk more about an active transport vision for WA, Shannon takes us to one of her favourite shared pathways by the Swan River.

The Clean State WA podcast is produced and hosted by Anthony James, Perth-based creator of The RegenNarration podcast. For more stories of regeneration around WA, Australia and the world, tune into The RegenNarration wherever podcasts are found, or at https://www.regennarration.com.

Music:

Eden is Lost, by Selfless Orchestra.

Get more:

On Shannon and Streets for People - https://www.streetsforpeople.org.au/  

And check out the Clean State WA website, where you’ll see more on the Jobs Plan and how you can get involved - https://www.cleanstate.org.au/jobs-plan

Including on the Ride to Recovery plan that Clean State is advocating for - https://www.cleanstate.org.au/ride_to_recovery

Clean State is an independent initiative advocating for action on climate change and jobs in Western Australia. We represent thousands of individuals and hundreds of businesses and other organisations who are dedicated to climate action across the state. We promote solutions that create thousands of jobs supporting businesses, families and communities and make our state a regenerative, fair and prosperous place to live and work. 

More than ever before, we have an opportunity to invest in a sustainable future for WA. The coronavirus pandemic is expected to put as many as 64,000 Western Australians out of work and an economic downturn is underway. That’s why Clean State has worked with industry experts from across WA to develop a plan for over 200,000 jobs that will also deliver action on climate change, conservation, and the care economy. This is the Clean State Jobs Plan.

The Clean State office acknowledges that it resides on the land of the Nyoongar people. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play in advancing a Clean State of WA. 

Thanks to the team at Clean State WA, and to the generous volunteers, supporters and active partners who are making this plan a reality.

If you’d like to get in touch with ideas, questions or thoughts generated by the plan or this podcast, you can email Clean State at info@cleanstate.org.au or simply join our mailing list https://www.cleanstate.org.au/join

And thanks for listening!