Parliamentary Friends of Cycling

Parliamentary Friends of Cycling – 47th Parliament

Watch video of the launch 

Above: Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, launched the Friends of Cycling for the 47th Parliament.

The Federal Parliamentary Friends of Cycling, with We Ride Australia, was launched on Wednesday, 23rd November, with an e-bike test and ride event on the lawns of Parliament House Canberra.

The Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Patrick Gorman, launched the group with the group’s Co-Chairs the Member for Swan, Zaneta Mascarenhas MP (Labor), the Member for Fisher the Hon. Andrew Wallace MP (Coalition) and the independent Member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines MP.

The event attracted MPs, Senators and key staff from all major parties along with several independents and showcased the latest e-bike and Micromobility technology available to Australians of all ages and abilities.

Supported with bikes from Trek, 99 Bikes and Lug and Carrie, political leaders tested a wide range of bikes including cargo, folding, commuter, gravel and mountain bikes.

Above: L-R, Hon Andrew Wallace MP, Zaneta Mascarenhas MP with daughter Felicity and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Patrick Gorman MP.

The Parliamentary Friendship Group is an influential platform that allows WeRide and the bicycle sector to engage with Parliamentarians and bureaucratic decision makers. It promotes engagement and allows us to advocate on behalf of bicycle riders and the entire sector.

Conversations focused on the benefits of e-bikes for more efficient transport systems better physical and mental health, contribution to a low carbon future, improved community liveability and environment, increased transport equity and regional economic development.

Above: Dr Helen Haines, the Member for Indi, is a Co-Chair of the Friends of Cycling.

Parliamentarians attending were:

• Hon Pat Gorman, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister – video of speech
• Zaneta Mascarenhas, the Member for Swan & Co-Chair – video of speech and interview with Osher
• Hon. Andrew Wallace, the Member for Fisher & Co-Chair – video of speech and interview with Osher
• Dr. Helen Haines, the Member for Indi and Co-Chair – video of speech and interview with Osher
• Chris Steel, ACT Minister for Transport – video of speech and interview with Osher
• Dr David Gillespie, Member for Lyne
• Hon. Ged Kearney, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care
• Dr Monique Ryan, the Member for Kooyong
• Kate Chaney, the Member for Curtin
• Allegra Spender, the Member for Wentworth
• Dr Daniel Mulino, the Member for Fraser
• Senator Janet Rice, Greens Senator for Victoria
• Stephen Campbell, the Office of Rebekha Sharkie MP
• Luke McClean, the Office of Zali Steggall, and
• Osher Gunsberg, TV personality and Board of WeRide.

WeRide also recorded interviews between Osher Gunsberg and bicycle brands that attended and supported the launch by supplying a range of e-bikes for the politicians to experience.

Mark from Trek bicycles

Above: the Hon. Andrew Wallace, Co-Chair and Member for Fisher, seems to have the attention of the peloton!

The Friends of Cycling group has a broad and diverse group of members. They are:

Facts and stats

• The sector has a direct industry output of $6.3 billion in Australia
• The industry supports 34,295 direct jobs
• An e-bike is a bicycle with an electric motor that assists the rider when pedalling
• Riding bikes is a legitimate and realistic transport option for the 50% of all trips that are 5km or less
• E-bikes support more people of all ages and abilities to ride, carry children & other loads, and is attracting people to ride a bike for their trips to local shops, school & work
• Riding bikes is one of the fastest and most efficient methods we already have to decarbonise transport and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
• E-bike batteries use about 30 cylindrical lithium-ion cells (3.3kg). A Tesla 3 uses 4,416 cells (long-range model – 530kg). One EV battery therefore corresponds to the number of batteries required for around 147 e-bikes!
• E-bikes are popular: 5X more e-bikes were sold than EVs in 2021-22, with sales growing over 800% to 75,000 in the 5 yrs to 2021-22.
• Australians are ready to ride: More than 10 million Australians chose to ride in 2021 with many getting on bikes during the pandemic.
• Accessibility: e-bikes & other light electric vehicles reduce barriers to mobility for older riders and those with a disability.
• A fact sheet on these stats and information was prepared for the event and can be downloaded here.

We Ride Australia is the national, independent voice for cycling and supports the Co-Chairs for the Parliamentary Friends of Cycling events.

Above: An Osher selfie with Dr Monique Ryan, Allegra Spender and Dr Helen Haines.

Parliamentary Friends of Cycling – 46th Parliament

We Ride Australia established a Parliamentary Friends of Cycling group in late 2020.

It was the culmination of more than a decade of federal advocacy by We Ride. The Friendship group marks a coming of age for bicycle riding in federal Parliamentary circles.

Stephen Hodge with Dave Sharma, the federal Member for Wentworth NSW

The opportunity to host and facilitate expert discussions on riding bicycles in Parliament House amongst federal Members and Senators from all parts of Australia is an important win for bicycle riding in this country.

The Friends of Cycling group provides a non-partisan federal forum for Parliamentarians to meet and interact with riding and active transport issues and benefits.

Stephen Hodge with Dr Helen Haines, the federal Member for Indi VIC

An initiative of We Ride Australia’s Stephen Hodge and Dave Sharma, the Member for Wentworth (Liberal), the group is Co-Chaired by Dave Sharma, the Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh, federal Member for Fenner (Labor) and Dr Helen Haines, the federal Member for Indi (independent).

Stephen Hodge with Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh, the federal Member for Fenner ACT

A further nineteen Parliamentarians signed up within hours to support the group’s establishment – see their names below.

At a time when bicycle riding is booming, as Australians re-discover the joys of two wheels for transport, staying active and healthy during the COVID pandemic, this group demonstrates our Parliamentarians are also clearly very interested in a greater engagement around the benefits of riding bicycles in this country.

The benefits of increased bicycle riding include better physical and mental health, improved community liveability, equitable and sustainable transport options and economic development opportunities in regional Australia through destination marketing and visitation built around bike facilities and trails.

We Ride Australia’s Stephen Hodge coordinates the group’s activities.

Above L-R: Dr Helen Haines MP, Hon. Kevin Andrews MP, Hon. Dr David Gillespie MP, Stephen Jones MP, Stephen Hodge, Susan Templeman MP, Dave Sharma MP, Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Julie Owens MP, Kristi McBain MP.

“I was delighted to get such a positive response to the idea from Dave Sharma when I approached him about championing bicycle riding in Parliament,” said Hodge.

“Andrew Leigh and Helen Haines also very quickly expressed their support and we were on our way,

“An email from Dr Leigh to the entire Parliament resulted in enough support from MPs and Senators within a couple of hours to set up the Friends and I think it showed we had really captured the moment for bike riding in Australia” Mr Hodge said.

Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government, the Hon. Mark Coulton MP with Stephen Hodge. Mr Coulton provided a Ministerial Key Note Address at the February Friends event on regional economic benefits of cycle tourism.

The Parliamentary Friends of Cycling is led by three Co-Chairs with support from across the political spectrum.

Participants in the Parliamentary Sports Festival cycling event, ‘Recognise’, on Red Hill, 2 December 2020. We Ride Australia organised the event with the strong support of the Parliamentary cycling group, Riders on the Hill. This group has been run by We Ride’s Stephen Hodge for the last 15 years.

“We’ve seen a massive increase in cycling during COVID-19, for both transport and recreation. As an enthusiastic rider myself, I’m keen for the Parliament to get behind this trend and do more to encourage people to lead active lifestyles,” Dave Sharma, the Member for Wentworth said.

Dave Sharma MP, Co-Chair Parliamentary Friends of Cycling

“From Mulga Bill to Anna Meares, cycling is intertwined with the Australian story. And no part of Australia loves cycling more than my home city of Canberra. From the 6am bunch ride to mountain biking with my kids, cycling is one of life’s true pleasures, and I’m keen to encourage its uptake nationwide” said Dr Andrew Leigh, the Member for Fenner.

Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Co-Chair Parliamentary Friends of Cycling

“Like lots of people, I have strong memories of learning to ride a bike. The thrill of finding my balance has lasted a lifetime. The Parliamentary Friends of Cycling is all about the love of cycling and the real benefits it can bring to people and to our environment when we leave the car in the shed and jump on the bike instead,” said the Member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines.

Dr Helen Haines MP, Co-Chair Parliamentary Friends of Cycling

“In regional areas like the one I represent, the economic benefits through cycle tourism are really important and will continue to contribute to our communities as we emerge and recover from the COVID lockdown,” said Dr Haines.

Gladys Liu MP with WeRide’s Stephen Hodge and Ben from Pushys test e-cargo bikes.

The first event for the Parliamentary Friends of Cycling was a showcase of the latest e-mobility trends. The latest electric-assist bicycles, family e-bikes and a range of utilitarian and freight bikes were showcased and available for test rides by Parliamentarians in the House event.

MPs attending the e-bike showcase event of the Parliamentary Friends of Cycling. From L-R Julie Owens MP, Dave Sharma MP, Senator David Van, Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Dr Helen Haines MP, Stephen Hodge, Hon. Mark Dreyfus QC MP.

The Co-Chairs work with Stephen to determine topics of interest to MPs and develop the program of events. All MPs and Senators in Parliament are invited to attend Friendship Group events and hear from subject experts and network with colleagues and invited guests. Parliamentary Friends of Cycling was launched in front of Parliament on Thursday, 8^th October 2020.

Stephen Hodge, Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Dr Helen Haines MP, Dave Sharma MP launching the Friends of Cycling on 8 October 2020.

The second Parliamentary event was focused on the regional economic benefits of cycle tourism and Key Noted by Minister Mark Coulton and Shadow Attorney General Hon Mark Dreyfus QC. A well attended event saw MPs and Senators with an interest in regional rail trails and destination marketing and MTB parks join to hear the latest data from Rail Trails Australia and Tourism North East (VIC).

The Member for Whitlam, Stephen Jones MP, with We Ride’s Stephen Hodge. Stephen Jones is particularly interested in the regional economic impacts that will result from the UCI Road World Cycling Championships, which are being held in his hometown of Wollongong NSW in 2022.

Bert van Manen MP & Stephen Hodge

2021 events:

• 16 February – Two Wheeled Tourism – transforming Australia’s regions – fact sheet
• June – an event focusing on the national economic benefits of the boom in cycling during COVID
• August – event theme to be determined
• October – Ride to Work Day event – theme to be determined

2020 event: 3 December – e-bike showcase – fact sheet

The MPs and Senators who supported the establishment of Parliamentary Friends of Cycling are –

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