Advocating for your issue
If you want to see improvements for cycling, don’t be afraid to go straight to the top!
The ACT is a small jurisdiction and Members of the Legislative Assembly can be relatively accessible. Your representation can make a real difference to outcomes for cycling.
Here are some tips for writing to an MLA:
- Get to know your MLAs. The ACT Legislative Assembly website lists the MLAs and how to contact them.
- Make sure you check details as MLAs and their portfolios can change.
- Focus on the Minister responsible. Check the details as portfolios are complex and can change – we might have different Ministers for Road Safety, Roads, Transport Planning.
- Write to all parties. Backbench, opposition and cross bench MLAs may take up the issue with government on your behalf, particularly if it relates to their electorate or portfolio.
- When writing to government ministers, refer to the relevant policies which support cycling (e.g. Transport for Canberra, Vision Zero Road Safety, Healthy Weight Initiative.)
- Be constructive. Politicians get a lot of negative feedback! Rational and well-argued representation will have a better chance of a positive response.
- A picture is worth a thousand words. Attach a photo to make it clear what the problem is
- Be concise. Politicians get a lot of correspondence and brevity will help yours stand out from the crowd.
- Be professional. Provide your name and contact details to ensure a reply.
Advocacy resources
Looking for help to advocate for better cycling facilities in your community? Here are some useful resources to get you started:
Transport planning
Planning for a sustainable city – towards 2030, looking to 2060 (ACTPLA)
Transport for Canberra – transport for a sustainable city 2012 – 2031 – ACT Government March 2012
Transport planning – Transport for Canberra
Active Travel Framework
ACT Pedestrian and Cycling Main Routes Network
Pay Parking in the town centres
ACT Bicycle Parking Guidelines –
ACT register of planning guidelines (ACTPLA) –
Australian National Cycling Strategy 2011-16
National Cycling Participation Survey
Road safety
ACT road safety strategies and action plans
ACT Road Safety Action Plan 2011-2013 (PDF 1,457Kb )
National Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020.
ACT Trunk Road Infrastructure Standard – No.04 Road Safety
Planning and design
AP2 – A new climate change strategy and action plan for the Australian Capital Territory (2012)
Zero Net Emissions
ACT Design Standards for Urban Infrastructure –MIS05
Planning for Active Travel in the ACT