Page 4290 - Week 14 - Thursday, 24 October 1991
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of public access to large areas. Quite frankly, I think it has been this move that has taken some of the activity from Garema Place. It is appropriate to have it revitalised and changed to bring more people back into it.
There are some urban planners, as I have said, who are concerned about this alienation of public space. It seems to me that with the alienation of part of Ainslie Avenue, we have lost a perfect opportunity to establish a major vista from City Hill right through to the avenue just behind the two multistorey car parks. That has been lost, Mr Deputy Speaker; it has been lost forever, as far as I can see, unless someone takes some action. It is unfortunate that that took place.
To pick up some of the problems that Mr Speaker was referring to in relation to outdoor cafes and facilities during the wintertime, I suggest that in these days of technology it is not beyond the pale to establish some form of covering over Garema Place that lets in light but still maintains the outside nature of it. That is possibly more fitting for an indoor city like we have in the ACT. I seem to recall that in the big mall in Brisbane there is some sort of covering over part of it and it works quite well. It provides a very exciting and attractive area for people to gather in.
Ms Follett: It is lovely.
MR JENSEN: I note that Ms Follett is agreeing with me. That is the sort of thing that I think would be most appropriate for Garema Place. Not only would it do that; I suggest that it would also solve some problems with the excessive sun that we get in the ACT in the summer. We all know the problems of skin cancer. That is something that needs to be looked at. I think that would really brighten up and improve Garema Place.
The previous Government was looking at ways and means of upgrading and improving Garema Place and I am pleased to see that both Mr Wood and Mr Connolly are keen to follow on with that. I hope that in the future we will be able to improve the area and make it the heart of Canberra, as it used to be.
DR KINLOCH (4.10): I welcome Mr Stevenson's MPI. I have to question, though, whether Garema Place is the city heart. I had been under the impression for several years that Civic Square was more appropriate for that role. But let us not be competitive about where the heart is. I would make it a larger heart and consider it to be Civic Square, the area down to Garema Place, the area down to David Jones and the whole Boulevard area. This is the heart of Canberra, including the cinemas and the theatres in this whole area. So, I would like to leave out of the statement the words, "as the city heart".
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