With the help of our election campaign volunteer!
Ananya Sharma is a Master of Public Policy student from Madhya Pradesh in India. As part of her University of Sydney degree, Ananya has signed up for an industry placement to gain experience of a real project that impacts policy.
Ananya is passionate about sustainable transport, decarbonisation, and environmental justice. And we thought she would be the perfect person to help drive the Bicycle NSW federal election campaign.
Ananya shares her policy interests, how they formed, what the election campaign hopes to achieve.
Ananya’s first week at Bicycle NSW included a lunchtime event at NSW Parliament House with our partners Ario to showcase the latest in e-mobility technology to a number of enthusiastic MPs and councillors from Inner Sydney LGAs (Image: Bicycle NSW)
My dream of a more sustainable world
The reason I am doing my masters in public policy is to make a definitive difference in the world. A difference that can be made without disrupting the lives of people.
Today, as I talk to my fellow classmates, colleagues or even strangers, I find they are aware of the issue of climate change and global warming. Steering people towards cycling and walking can lead to positive outcomes in more arenas than imaginable. Not only does it cut carbon emissions, but active transport also positively affects mental and physical health of individuals.
However, there is a lot less attention towards active transport by governments than necessary. This came as a surprise to me!
The e-bike dilemma
While I was riding the rented bikes here in Sydney, I noticed some bikes which were going very fast. I was confused why my bike was not doing the same thing. Was it because these other riders own a more expensive model or a different brand?
I later found out that these were illegal e-bikes. They go over the speed limit of 25km/h and they are prohibited by the NSW Government due to safety concerns. I was in shock at how these bikes are operating despite the law. During my internship, I have learnt there is a loophole in policies. This has allowed importers to bring illegal e-bikes in Australia by self-declaring them.
The loophole has cost all levels of government significantly - in more ways than anticipated!
Low-quality batteries have caused many dangerous fires. There are increasing crashes and injuries. The bikes are ridden too fast on footpaths. Many people now fear being around e-bikes, particularly older people and those with disabilities. These are all consequences of opening a small window for the illegal bikes to enter the country.
Not only that, but recent statistics also show 43% of Australians face mental illness. Cycling and walking can provide freedom, a sense of control and liberty for individuals to be able to get out of isolation. But they need a secure environment to be outside on their own terms, moving at their own pace. They should not be burdened into an interaction with speeding wannabes who get away with breaking the law and create a hindrance to biking and walking around the city!
Some culture shocks
I came to Australia in February 2023 from Bhopal in India. As someone unfamiliar with taking public transport, and with no knowledge of how to rent bikes or get an Opal card, I found walking a more feasible and safer option.
At first, I could not understand why people were standing and not crossing the road. Then I discovered that there was a pedestrian crossing that everyone must use. The GO green signal is accompanied by a beeping sound to alert people that it is safe to cross the road.
Australia is heavily focused on inclusivity in this way. A beeping sound to ensure that those with vision impairment can cross the streets without needing help is something that I would very much like to see in India! There, drivers have little regard to road safety rules and the majority of the population – the people who don’t drive - have to navigate the roads without any signals to help.
Even now as an adult, when I go out on the chaotic streets in India, I have to be super careful when I cross the roads. Sometimes all the awareness and precautions do not seem enough.
A typical street scene in Madhya Pradesh’s capital city Bhopal. There is a minimal presence of traffic police and efforts to manage the flow are proving inadequate in the face of such heavy congestion (Image: News18.com)
Another major difference has been the lack of animals on the street, and the existence of proper footpaths.
In India, I was reluctant to bike anywhere other than private society premises or a park. This is because around my house in Bhopal, there are no pedestrian crossings. The little space between the divided car lanes is used by vehicles changing lanes as well as pedestrians crossing the road.
The fact that I often must actively find specific spots to cycle, and get there with a bike before I can enjoy myself, leads to a disinterest in owning, maintaining and riding a bike. The act of biking, which should relax the brain, becomes stressful on the roads back home because it is a common practice in India for drivers to honk at people, and for stray animals to be on the road.
For most people biking is constrained as a leisure activity or part of an exercise routine rather than a lifestyle.
Cycling in Sydney is different!
Since being in Australia I have got used to public transport but it gets expensive and can be frustrating. Taking a bus or waiting for a train means losing control over my actions and creating anxiety around reaching places on time.
I noticed the bike paths and wondered if they would work for me. I downloaded an app to facilitate easier navigation and I used my first e-bike! The experience was so different to what I was used to. I could not believe it. I was actually biking on the streets alongside cars!
The bicycle routes around my suburb, Ultimo, are well-built and allowed me to bike freely. I found my stress levels decreasing while I was biking because I only had to focus on biking and following the signals without someone honking at me (for the most part).
The act of walking and biking to university and other places often grounds me as I can take time to observe the locality closely and familiarise myself with the place. Over the course of my 2 years in Australia I have discovered little cafes, shops and parks, places that I would have missed if I was always driving around or sitting on a bus.
My inner vibe when I can cycle around the city, freely discovering new places (Image: Ananya Sharma)
What I bring to Bicycle NSW
Bicycle NSW collaborates with the government and other partners to promote active transport. Bicycle NSW’s commitment towards the Net Zero initiative by creating a safe and accessible infrastructure aligns with my own vision of better policies around sustainability.
The internship with Bicycle NSW allows me to work on a campaign that raises the profile of active transport at the upcoming federal election.
My key tasks in the placement will be to research policy, assist in developing appropriate content for the campaign, write letters to communicate the advocacy position and respond to communications, as well as to report on the outcomes and results.
The election campaign page is here.
We are going to focus on five ‘asks’. Bicycle NSW wants the government to take action at a federal level to restrict the import of illegal devices, subsidise e-bikes like it subsidises electric cars, and make taxation for sustainable transport fair. This will assist the uptake of safe and compliant e-bikes.
And we also want a lot more funding for active transport infrastructure - ideally $15 per person annually, a substantial increase from the current level of 92 cents, and proper mode shift targets to keep politicians on track.
Ultimately, we need better infrastructure so all kinds of micromobility devices have space to be used safely. These are so much better than cars for health, the environment and society. Bike riders will then be motivated ride more, and ride safely, setting an example to fellow drivers on the road. After all, positivity attracts more positivity!
One more thing….
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