Page 2486 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 14 November 1989
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"Well, there is also a city which gets things right and gets things immaculately right". I would worry about the quality of the prose in the report. I am happy to work with the people involved with this. I do not know who they were, but if they would like to consult me I would be very pleased indeed to help in that matter.
MR STEVENSON (3.59): The ACT Vision for the multifunctional polis mentions a great number of benefits to Canberra. We have heard today that there are perhaps some potential problems. I found it very difficult to gain a lot of information on the proposals for Australia in general. I have an article that was printed in the Melbourne Herald shortly after 14 December last year. While not all aspects may apply to Canberra specifically and also while I may not agree with all the points raised, I do, however, feel that it is important to look at other viewpoints. So I quote from the article titled "A multi-function disaster".
As information is slowly released about proposed Japanese high-tech cities in Australia, it becomes clearer that if instituted they would be an unmitigated social and cultural disaster ...
The concept has been given the esoteric name of multifunctional polis. They would be clean, well-lit cities with their own security forces and centralised control of communications and other services.
While transport and community services in existing Australian cities require massive refurbishing, the proposal nevertheless uncritically promotes new metropolises of teletopian splendor, costing billions of dollars.
The feasibility study alone will cost up to $5 million.
It is envisaged that 21st century housing will accommodate "highly educated and talented individuals": 100,000 people, many of them Japanese nationals will live in elitist settings of ceremonial gardens and designer golf courses.
They will be doing research into areas of controversy such as genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, areas which are still to be fully debated in Australia.
According to a "strictly confidential" document obtained by The Herald (December 2) the initial proposal was first mooted by the powerful Japanese Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI) almost two years ago.
The original MITI report emphasised enclaves of technology, leisure and entertainment.
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