Page 2478 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 14 November 1989
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The success of some existing growth centres provides lessons that can be learned. One that comes immediately to mind is Albury-Wodonga. In some respects it has a similar location to Canberra, in that it is between Melbourne and Sydney - with one important asset that we should consider for Canberra, an inland port for customs. This means, Mr Speaker, that goods can be received from and shipped directly to overseas markets. This means it is able to service the largest markets outside Europe and the Americas - I refer, of course, to Asia. No doubt, an international airport for the Canberra region would assist us in this area - a concept that the Rally strongly supports.
It is also interesting to note that Albury-Wodonga is keen to see the location of more government employees there. It would seem that there are fewer such employees in Albury-Wodonga than any other provincial city - outside Canberra, of course. It is understood that the greater certainty of employment for the public service and more certain pay packets tend to aid the economy. Maybe we in Canberra should not be too hard on the large number of public servants we have here. They are, some would suggest, more of a bonus than a minus. If one cares to look at all the advantages that Canberra has to offer compared with those of Albury-Wodonga and other centres, the list is fairly comprehensive.
In the resources area Canberra has planned environments; well developed land; industrial estates, or technology parks; ample water supply; and excellent infrastructure facilities. Our location is close to markets; close to tourist areas, our own and the snowfields; and on the main Melbourne-Sydney-Adelaide routes. Also we are close to, and will probably participate in, the VFT project. As far as labour is concerned, we have an ample skilled and unskilled work force in the ACT and full range of training and educational facilities available.
Mr Wood: And a good government to go with it.
MR JENSEN: You must have been reading my mind, Mr Wood. I was just about to mention that there is also support from the ACT Government and this Assembly as a whole to promote Canberra as a regional growth centre. If, as I suggest, these factors that I have mentioned apply in Canberra, we should be on a winner, in much the same way as Albury-Wodonga has been.
The paper we are debating today certainly provides the sorts of ideas and concepts that would enable us to participate in the MFP project. However, we should not pin all our hopes on being chosen to be involved. The Government should ensure that it does not sit on its hands and wait for the project to fall in our laps. We do not have the time to wait. We in the ACT should be able to show the proponents of the MFP that we deserve to participate in the project because we have already demonstrated how self-reliant and forward-thinking we are.
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