Page 3753 - Week 12 - Thursday, 25 November 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
We are progressing with a staged delivery of light rail to Woden so that we can get on with this project as quickly as possible. The first section, stage 2A, will run from Alinga Street, from the main station in Civic, to Commonwealth Park, just north of Lake Burley Griffin. Our existing network will be extended by 1.7 kilometres and will feature three new stops. An early estimation suggests that daily patronage of light rail between Alinga Street and Commonwealth Park will add an additional 2,500 to 3,000 passengers a day.
To support the delivery of light rail to Woden, we are raising London Circuit by six metres to deliver an at-grade intersection with Commonwealth Avenue. This will create a more pedestrian-friendly and cyclist-friendly environment and, importantly, it will make the southern end of our CBD a more vibrant place, with better connections through to the lake.
Construction is likely to begin in the first half of next year, following procurement, and we expect that it will take around two years to deliver, with stage 2A and trackwork then occurring. This project is a major investment in the urban realm of our city centre in its own right, providing better access for active travel.
It is extraordinary that, in the debate today, the Canberra Liberals have not confirmed their support for stage 2 of light rail. It is extraordinary because we have seen this flip-flopping happen before. Before the election, after previously threatening to tear up the contracts for the stage 1 project, they then said, very tentatively, that they would support it. Now, in a new term of government, we are finding that they cannot come into the chamber during a budget debate about expenditure on this major project—the largest infrastructure project in the city—and say that they support it. They cannot do it. They were asked, and they cannot say that they support stage 2 of light rail to Woden. I find that absolutely extraordinary. They have just shown that they do not care about the thousands of jobs and the many apprentices that will work on these projects.
Ms Lee, in her budget reply during the in-principle stage of this bill, talked about apprentices. She talked about support for skills. If she supported skills, she would support light rail, because we are ensuring, through these major projects—like the hospital, light rail stage 2 and the CIT project—that apprentices are employed on these projects. If you did not support these projects and they did not go ahead if you were in government, it would see hundreds of apprentice opportunities cut—hundreds. Mr Parton could not come in here today and say that he supported stage 2 of the project.
We on this side of the chamber are very excited about the delivery of this important project because of the support that it will give to the many apprentices and trainees that will be employed on it. It will support many thousands of workers on this project. Of course, we have work underway already on the utilities, relocations and preparation for the main works, and particularly, ahead of construction, to raise London Circuit. The evaluation of expressions of interest for a construction partner for London Circuit works is currently underway, and we expect that a shortlist of providers will be invited to participate in the request for tender process before Christmas.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video