Councils' Yarraville festival "survey response". Big issues with their "quick poll"
On the Maribyrnong council project page they have published an update with the alledged "survey results" of the "quick poll" on here: https://www.yourcityyourvoice.com.au/polka-dot-road-safety-project
Stating:
(QUOTE) Results from Yarraville Festival Poll. During the Yarraville Festival 2021 (Sunday 29 March), Council officers hosted a community conversation between 10am – 4pm, seeking feedback from visitors on the polka dots trial. Among the conversations had, visitors were asked to respond to a quick poll. The question asked was: “Would you support the continuation of the polka dots trial if it is shown to contribute to the safety of all road users travelling through the area?”.
There were a total of 176 responses this question with 68% (120 responses) responding 'yes’, 23% (41 responses) responding ‘no’ and 9% (15 responses) responding ‘unsure’. (UNQUOTE)
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The petitions response to this:
Council again have been playing word schematics and being ambiguous with their rhetoric by posing the question to encourage locals to land within their desired outcome of the survey. The wording of the question aligning closely with their ongoing agenda to retain the polka dot settings, even in the face of the failing evidence base, ongoing near misses and especially now that they have added speed bumps for an installation that was meant to slow traffic? That alone highlights the Polka dots do not meet required outcomes.
The petition takes issue (again) with councils continued mischievous failed attempts to regain the narrative and public sentiment about the polka dot installations. Council asked a question which they know cannot be delivered - The polka dot installations DO NOT and CANNOT contribute to the safety of ALL road users (keyword - all) of the local area. The polka dot setting has shown that it is encouraging children onto the roads and creating mass confusion about who has right of way - leading to near misses. So the fact that a question is being posed asking if people are supportive if the dots will ensutre safety of ALL road users is factually unattainable and misleading.
The Polka dot trial is now effectively invalid and nullified by the installation of these speed humps, which will now conflate the obvious speed reductions they generate with the failed outcomes of having the polka dot settings them self initially not being able to deliver - and actually delivering hazardous outcomes. Council cannot simply now continue with the trial, having installed infrastructure to artificially deliver outcomes the polka dots were not able to.
Council have also not been transparent about whether these people - who agreed that the polka dots are viable in their "quick poll"- are frequent visitors (or even local inner western suburbs residents) to the local Yarraville village area and have any ongoing interface with the village setting.
From people visiting the tent, they mentioned that attempt was made to determine te respondents locaton (ie postcode) - only their name and to take the "quick poll". With a very angled dialogue preamble that was HEAVILY weighted to illicit a supportive response from the uninitiated. This is ESPECIALLY important as the Yarraville festival brought in many people from around Melbourne, and these people may have not been made aware of why the Polka dot settings have been an issue at all. And instead have been encouraged by the rather innocent appearance and the enticing aesthetics of the project - rather than having the full suite of information at hand.
And similarly of how awkwardly Michael Clarke went to a school to survey 41 Grade 6 kids and pretty much coerce kids to say they wouldn't play with the dots and go with the councils narrative - these people who may have said yes at Yarraville festival may have been oblivious to or council may have intentionally not been forthcoming in providing details about why the dots were an issue - ie the risk to child safety and right of way issues.
If I was a person, without any of the context and not being provided a complete factual outline of the situation, I would of course have been encouraged to have voted ‘yes’ having been enticed by the playful appearance of the installations, rather than non obvious issues which have since surfaced. Council have not been transparent (again) about whether people surveyed in this "quick poll" were provided any context, background or information – and it simply may have been just the above question posed. Which would highlight the core of the issue with this survey conducted at Yarraville festival. The fact it was a "quick poll" and from people having visited the tent first hand, many commented that council had not provided any context or background information. So obviously the outcome they are now publishing is rather flawed ad questionable.
Council are well and good to conduct surveys (like the petition has done as well), but the continued attempts to discredit and diminish the importance of parents highlighting first hand safety issues and near misses is again a reflection of how council is wanting to cling onto this project at all costs. It can also be said that the current 66% voting no on the poll, personal stories on the petition (with the response rate above 500), personal stories on the council "virtual ideas wall" and ongoing emailing in of ongoing incidents reflects the safety issues raised STILL remain – even with the speed humps.
For as long as the polka dots remain, the increased genuine fatal risks to the community arise. The Polka dots must go immediately.