Page 1360 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 12 May 2021
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MR STEEL: I thank the member for her question. There certainly will be spaces that are available for the training of students in those related disciplines. We will, of course, ensure that those are appropriately built with soundproofing and the like, if that is required. One of the benefits of building in a town centre is that, while there are some existing residents on the northern side, at Grand Central Towers, it is an area that is primarily for commercial activity. This type of use lends itself very well to the town centre and will be a major part of its regeneration going forward. Six thousand students will be using this area, so there is an opportunity to have more people catching public transport to the area and accessing the facilities, which will contribute to a significant modernisation of the CIT’s facilities but also their ability to work with business and industry and innovate within the new Woden town centre campus.
That work is currently underway, but we will be undertaking consultation with the community about the design going forward, and I look forward to inviting all people to have their say, particularly those who are going to be using the new campus—students and staff.
MR DAVIS: Minister, what work has the government done to support live music venues and the establishment of an arts precinct in my electorate of Brindabella?
MR STEEL: I thank the member for his question. It is just not in my portfolio area, I am sorry. I will just leave it there; I will not even take it on notice, thanks.
Trees—removal
MR HANSON: This question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. I refer to the recent removal of trees in the western courtyard of the ACT Legislative Assembly. Minister, why is it that when trees affect plumbing in the Legislative Assembly building they can be removed, but when trees affect plumbing in residents’ homes across Canberra, the request is so often refused?
MR STEEL: I thank the member for his question. He might want to get his own federal minister to go and ask the NCA why they approved the tree removal. It is simply not in the jurisdiction of the ACT government in relation to those tree removals. We have—
Mrs Jones: The tree is here, in the Assembly precinct.
MR STEEL: That is right. It is on NCA-designated land. Have a look at ACTmapi; it is very clear. The NCA has given approval for the removal of what I think were birch trees. Please get your facts straight before you ask questions.
In relation to other trees, of course, we look at trees. We do not just remove trees for any reason. There are criteria that we need to look at. We want to make sure that we are protecting our canopy and growing our canopy. We are committed to doing that—30 per cent by 2040. It is something that we think is really important. In each case we will look at what damage has been undertaken through stormwater or to other utilities or private blocks in making that assessment. But if there is a particular house that you want to raise with me, Mr Hanson—
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