State Election 2026: What do Unley/Badcoe candidates think of walking and cycling?

Unley BUG is a local, non-partisan group representing a community of over 600 people who walk, cycle and wheel in and around Unley. Ahead of the 2026 State Election, we put together a short list of Unley and State-focused election priorities that reflect concerns we regularly hear from local residents.

We reached out to every candidate in the electorates of Unley and Badcoe to seek their views on our wishlist. Below are the results reproduced as received. Where no response was received by date of publication we have noted as such, and made an attempt to find out whether the candidates have expressed any walking or cycling-related policies or statements.

Unley BUG does not endorse any candidates and remains strictly non-partisan.

Summary of responses

Icon legend:

✔ = Response received to Unley BUG wishlist.

◑ = No response received. Some walking or cycling policies identified in candidate or party platform.

– = No response received or walking/cycling related policies identified.

Note that candidates are listen in order of appearance on the ECSA website.

Full candidate responses

Unley / Ryan Harrison / Independent

I strongly support the objectives of the Unley Bicycle User Group to improve walking and cycling across our area. Safer crossings, connected bike routes and calmer streets make Unley a better place for everyone.

I have also been sharing on my social media the idea of creating a bikeway along the southern edge of the Parklands. This corridor has real potential to provide a safer and more continuous east west route for people riding while improving access to our parks and neighbourhoods.

Operating outside the major parties in a seat that would be marginal if won would place Unley in the driver’s seat. It would give our MP the ability to advocate strongly for the best outcomes for Unley bike users and pedestrians.

Unley / Jossip Ivka / Animal Justice Party

To keep a long story short, the Animal Justice Party fully supports the UBUG wishlist and also wishes to go even further. Here are the links to two of our relevant policy platforms related to the wishlist and to making SA much more bicycle friendly.:

https://www.animaljusticeparty.org/climate_change

https://www.animaljusticeparty.org/land_transport

AJP prioritises non-car transport and a steep reduction in private car use. The reasons are mostly driven by climate concerns, but not entirely.

We believe decarbonisation will require not only different vehicles but also far fewer. This will naturally mean more of other forms of transport like bicycles being enabled and incentivized. 

Unley / Alice Rolls / Labor

Cycling Facilities and Infrastructure 

The Malinauskas Labor Government is committed to incorporating cycling facilities into major infrastructure projects where appropriate. Projects including the Tram Grade Separation Project, North-South Corridor, Torrens to Darlington, and Main South Road Duplication (Stage 2) include substantial lengths of shared use path. 

In 2024, we released the Active Travel Design Guide which provides guidance when creating safe and comfortable infrastructure for people walking and cycling across the state. The Malinauskas Labor Government is committed to progressively implementing this guide across the development of new infrastructure projects. 

Strategic Direction 

Over the last term of government, we have taken significant strides to improve cycling safety across the state, underpinned by the following strategic initiatives: 

South Australia’s Transport Strategy sets out a 30-year vision for the state and recognises that population growth and demographic change will increase pressure on the transport network. It identifies mode shift to active transport as important to improving congestion, liveability and sustainability outcomes. 

South Australia’s Active Travel Design Guide provides practical design guidance aligned with national and international best practice and underpinned by the Safe System approach. It supports consistent arid improved active travel infrastructure across the state. 

Active Travel and Personal Mobility Strategy (currently under development) will provide a long-term framework to guide planning, prioritisation and investment in South Australia’s active transport network. 

Investment 

The Malinauskas Labor Government invests dollar for dollar funding in partnership with local councils via the State Bicycle Fund. 

Applications regularly exceed available funding and in 2025-26 we provided $2 million to support more cycling infrastructure across the state. 

We have supported the City of Unley Council to pursue their objectives by providing $200,000 for each of the following projects: 

Cycling improvements to the Cremorne Street bend and upgrades to the shared path through Haslop Reserve. 

Stage 5 of the Wood-Weller Bikeway including on and off-road cycling improvements on Northgate Street, Unley Park between Wood Street and King William Road, and in Heywood Park. 

A Malinauskas Labor Government has also worked to increase the number of pedestrian actuated crossings in priority areas. In 2024 we announced a $37 million investment to upgrade 10 crossings across the Adelaide metropolitan area, this investment was aligned with the Bike Direct Network. 

We can confirm that additional metropolitan areas are progressing through the planning and design phases, with priority locations being regularly assessed. 

A re-elected Malinauskas State Government will continue the work to consider additional investments to upgrade cycling infrastructure and to continue to examine the State Bicycle Fund where appropriate to ensure that it aligns with current need. 

Unley Cycling Infrastructure 

We understand that representatives from Unley BUG recently met with the Department’s active transport and planning team as well as Bike Adelaide, and the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure’s office regarding intersections such as Victoria Street and Leader Street. 

A re-elected Malinauskas Labor Government is committed to continuing the work with councils to address safety issues through the Unley area. You may also like to keep up to date with our 2026 State Election Policy Commitments here: https://www.sa.alp.org.au

Unley / Rosalie Rotolo / Liberal

No response received by date of publication.

Unley / Emma Paterson / Real Change SA

No response received by date of publication.

Unley / Peter Attard / Australian Family Party

No response received by date of publication.

Unley / Dylan Kiernan / The Greens

Thanks for sharing the Unley and statewide walking and cycling wishlists and for all you do to make our streets safer and more accessible. As the Greens candidate for Unley, I strongly support your priorities and the community-first approach you’re taking.
As a keen cyclist who rides regularly in and around Unley, I know firsthand how often poor or missing infrastructure makes it stressful and sometimes dangerous to get around. I certainly share your frustration at the lack of safe crossings of major roads. The specific projects you’ve highlighted – like fixing the Victoria and Leader Street rail and road crossings, improving ways to cross Anzac Highway, staging a safe shared path along Greenhill Road, and reducing wait times at key bikeway intersections – are exactly the kinds of practical changes that would make a real difference to everyday
cyclists and walkers.

Greens policies align closely with what you’ve outlined. If elected, I will strongly advocate to:

• Establish an Active Transport Commissioner to coordinate safer, connected networks across councils.
• Invest $100 million over four years in bike and walking infrastructure, with transparent pipelines that deliver local links like safer rail and highway crossings, connected greenway routes, and reduced wait times at major road crossings.
• Require fully separated walking and cycling paths in all new major road projects so local gaps are fixed as we build.
• Integrate bikes and public transport with secure parking, lockers and racks at stations and interchanges, and support wayfinding tools that make active travel the easy choice.
• Keep Adelaide a city of parklands, not car parks, and prioritise people-friendly streets that cut congestion, improve
  health and reduce emissions.

I’d welcome the chance to sit down with you and other BUG members to talk through how these priorities can be progressed and how I, as the Greens candidate for Unley, can best support your advocacy. I’ll also definitely be along to future Saturday Social Rides – in fact, I’ll be there this weekend! These rides have been immensely successful and show how cycling can build stronger, more connected communities. I’m committed to working alongside Unley BUG and the wider community to secure the bold, lasting improvements to walking and cycling that Unley deserves.

Badcoe / Daniel Shepherd / One Nation

No response received by date of publication.

Badcoe / Amar Singh / Liberal

No response received by date of publication.

Badcoe / Jayne Stinson / Labor

For formal Labor response please refer to Unley/Alice Rolls section above.

Jayne Stinson has also met with Unley BUG several times after the issuing of our wishlist to discuss walking and cycling in Badcoe more generally, and recently announced Labor Party will fund new raised pedestrian crossings on the Westside Bikeway and fund Staged 4 + 5 of Unley Council’s Wilberforce Walk project.

Badcoe / Radosav Jovanovic / Family First

No response received by date of publication.

Badcoe / Jonathan Attard / Australian Family Party

No response received by date of publication. However, the Animal Justice Party have a dedicated Land Transport policy page on their website that includes mentions of prioritising active transport.

Badcoe / Joshua Andersen-Ward / The Greens

No response received by date of publication. However, The Greens have a dedicated Active Transport policy page on their website that goes into detail on specific steps the party will take to improve walking and cycling.