Page 3277 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 19 October 2022
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there was uncertainty around what we could be doing, how we could be doing it, and the person density at which we could be doing anything. So SouthFest has been reimagined to incorporate multiple locations and to try to embrace the entire Tuggeranong district. At least for this year it is going to be known as SouthFest in the suburbs and rolls out November 5 to November 20. It is a credit to all those involved that they have been able to pull together this wide and varied program—it is massive—without the support of a City Renewal Authority framework. SouthFest kicks off in that first week of November. Much of what goes on in that event would be bread and butter for the CRA, if indeed that event was taking place in the city or in Braddon. But because it is not happening in the funky part of town, they are left to, not quite fend for themselves because I know there is some ACT government support, but it is not like having the CRA back it up.
I understand there is the business levy in play and because of the number of businesses in the Civic and Braddon areas the money raised from that levy is sufficient to genuinely fund a number of the measures. But none of that could occur without the work of government through the City Renewal Authority. I wanted to say that I am sick of seeing the outer suburbs neglected. Sick of seeing Tuggeranong neglected. These thoughts are echoed not just by Ms Lawder but by many in the outer suburban communities and certainly by business owners in those outer town centres. So on the one hand I am saying that there are a number of CRA initiatives we genuinely applaud, but on the other I am saying that there needs to be more thought, more effort, more money spent on giving a leg up to those outer suburban areas who often feel like poor cousins to the funky inner city.
MS CLAY (Ginninderra) (10.35): I will be brief. I think we have had a good discussion of some issues with the CRA, but I wanted to mention a few of the aspects of the work they are doing at the moment and some of the items funded in the budget. I welcome the upgrades to Woolley Street in Dickson. They have commenced. They are a good example of making our streets more friendly for pedestrians and vulnerable road users. That is a really important part of the work that the CRA does.
We are a little disappointed that the Braddon/Lonsdale Street streetscape works could not start despite the allocation of $4 million for improvements. We are also concerned about Braddon, in general. It does not have a pedestrian crossing. Lonsdale Street has had this wonderful refresh with all of this bustling nightlife and trade but it is really hostile for vulnerable road users. It is really hostile for anyone who is not in a car. We have seen in a lot of areas, right here in Civic and in other areas, that opening up the area and protecting your vulnerable road users tends to be good for the trades. It tends to be good for the shops. It tends to be really good for the nightlife there. We would love to see some good consultation and a different approach happening on that street at some point in the future.
The CRA has a great public art program and I am pleased to see that. Yanni Pounartzis’s work in Garema is really fun and there is just a lot of great art around. I am looking forward to seeing the continuation of all of the public art funded by the CRA. I know people all around the city appreciate the works that the CRA has procured. It is great to see art in our public spaces. That is what we want more of in Canberra.
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