Page 957 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 21 April 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
shopping centres. They are important community hubs. The ACT government has been involved in upgrading a range of older shopping centres, particularly.
There are a variety of different models around Canberra. Some shopping centre buildings are owned by multiple tenants, sometimes as separate tenancies and other times in a unit title arrangement. There are a variety of different ways that centres operate and will lease out their premises.
The ACT government’s focus has been on investing in and maintaining the land around shopping centres, the public spaces. Where we have undertaken upgrades of local shopping centres, it often supports local businesses who own their own premises or are leasing out premises. It supports them in what they do. We have seen that at local shopping centres as far back as the Chifley upgrades, when the government made upgrades to the playground and amenities there. We have seen a fantastic model arise that has now been replicated at a number of local shopping centres throughout Canberra. Fraser shops are a good example of where the government more recently undertook upgrades. There were a number of tenancies there that were not leased out, but more life has come back to that shopping centre. We hope in the further upgrades we are undertaking at Kippax, Duffy and Campbell that the upgrades will support local businesses as well.
It is up to the owners of those shopping centres to tenant their shops. (Time expired.)
MR DAVIS: My supplementary question actually goes to those owners. What can the government do to obligate owners of these suburban shopping centres to maintain and upgrade their space in line with community expectations? Has the government considered any penalties or inducements for landlords to ensure that these spaces are let?
MR STEEL: I thank the member for his question. That is outside my portfolio responsibilities. I might take it on notice.
Yes, the government has considered a range of ways to encourage landlords to tenant shopping centres. In relation to development applications, I think there is a requirement for them to build and tenant within a certain period of time, although that was extended during the pandemic for new builds. We have considered those as well as the lease clauses and the like. But that has to take into account a range of different factors, including constitutional factors under the self-government act in relation to property rights and so forth.
It is not usually the government’s role to interfere in the private enjoyment of property; that is just the reality of it. Also, we are not engaged in the business of running supermarkets. That is the sort of thing you see in North Korea, where there are no items on the supermarket shelves. It is not a role that Australian governments have typically played.
However, I will come back to you with more detail. Other ministers may be able to contribute to answering that question.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video