Page 2475 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 14 November 1989
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The second issue, Mr Speaker, that I would urge the Government to address is the residential needs of the estimated 25,000 working population of the MFP. On even an average family projection we are looking to house up to 100,000 more people somewhere in the region. Do the population predictions for the remainder of the Tuggeranong Valley development and the estimated 80,000 people to live in Gungahlin include the 25,000 work force and their families that the MFP will generate?
I expect that a project such as this would generate an increased work force over and above present projections. Quite simply, questions need to be addressed. Where will they live? Will the Government have the funds to provide the infrastructure that this substantial number of people will require? Suburban roads, transport, health, education, and shopping and recreation facilities will all require planning. I submit, Mr Speaker, that there are additional requirements over and above those currently planned.
Mr Speaker, I raise these issues not to denigrate the proposal, which I support in the interests of the future economic well-being of the ACT; on the contrary, I wish merely to draw attention to these needs and urge the Government to address them now rather than later.
I appreciate that the multifunction polis will not be created overnight, nor will there be an instantaneous work force of 25,000 people; it will build up gradually. Nevertheless, if the MFP is to become a reality and if it is to realise its great potential, we must be prepared to service its maximum working population and we must make allowance now for this significant addition to our population.
Mr Speaker, we must demonstrate to the proponents of this project that we in Canberra have the capacity to appreciate the magnitude of the project and all of the ramifications that will flow from it and that we are capable of addressing them in the pre-planning phase. If we fail in that, we will have no credibility later in arguing our case for implementing any part of the project in Canberra.
It is the responsibility of the Government, therefore, to begin to plan and develop the transport, services and residential support that the MFP work force will require. The document that it has produced so far simply does not address those issues. Mr Speaker, the Liberal Party looks forward to early answers to the questions that I have raised and indeed to participating in defining both the questions and the answers. I reiterate our pledge to fully support this ambitious project which could be of such enormous benefit to us in the future.
MR JENSEN (3.27): Mr Speaker, the Residents Rally welcomes the participation of the ACT in the multifunction polis
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