Page 2480 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 14 November 1989
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The submission also emphasises that a high-tech transport system will be a vital link with other multifunction satellites in other cities. Transport is a major aspect, and it is envisaged that the very fast train and the multifunction polis will be closely linked. Planning has to be given careful consideration so as to avoid environmental disasters and mistakes occurring.
Mr Speaker, I note in relation to this subject that there are some so-called conservationists who are strongly opposed to both projects - the very fast train and the multifunction polis. Their opposition is supposedly based on the environmental impact that the projects will have on untouched bushland and also on the concept of a satellite city. I reject these objections utterly.
Those knockers also say that these cities will most benefit Japanese interests. I do not share the concern of these people that the MFP will be strongly dominated by Japanese idiosyncrasies and their technology; I do not believe this is the case. The multifunction polis project is based on the concept of international cooperation. It will be built to fit Australian society, and I strongly believe that we will benefit greatly from the commercial aspects. The Japanese economy is the powerhouse of the Pacific, and we must not forget that Japanese business will be investing a great deal of money into this project - as well as Australian companies, of course.
Mr Speaker, if the ACT Jerrabomberra site is accepted as a location for a satellite of the MFP concept, in my view the benefits will be more than one. I believe that the ACT has great potential for the successful development of this major project. We have the ability to expand our resources. To begin with, the ACT submission envisages that the focus will be on education, research and lifestyle. In the ACT we already have an education system of the highest standard. We have a world-famous university, the ANU, and now the new University of Canberra. We also have a number of colleges and technical colleges.
In the private sector we have colleges such as the Australian National College of Business and English which is doing extremely well and marketing overseas successfully. The ACT is also very advanced in the research area. The CSIRO and the ANU medical research unit are working extremely hard towards achieving new and better ways of dealing with health and environmental problems, as well as working on new drugs, et cetera.
Another aspect is the private commercial sector. This sector will get a boost in the new environment, and I believe this will be a major step towards creating a new image for Canberra. By this I mean changing Canberra's public service image. Even though there is now less than 50 per cent public service employment in this city, it is still perceived throughout the nation as being a public
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