Page 1555 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 12 August 1992
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An urban village is another concept - urban village, urban consolidation, urban renewal. What about the urban village joint venture, government and private - Mr Wood said that he wants to get together with the private sector in joint ventures - and land development in Gungahlin, instead of the traditional town centre, eventually housing 36,000 people with a density of 30 dwellings per hectare and totally integrating commercial, retail and residential spaces?
Much has been said about consultation. As Mr Kaine correctly said, the people at the Kippax shopping centre have not been consulted yet about West Belconnen. They have said what they would like to see happen, but there was no consultation prior to the election.
Mr Kaine: They have been told to go away.
MR DE DOMENICO: They have been told to go away, as Mr Kaine correctly says. There is no doubt that there is the potential for higher returns to the ACT Government, due to more intensive use of urban infrastructure. This issue has been on the books for a long time. It was conveniently taken off the books just before the election this year, when suddenly we heard all this talk about West Belconnen. Two-thirds of West Belconnen was taken away from the "pink bits". Mr Wood talks about half and half, but he took away two-thirds of the West Belconnen area. There was no mention of that. As Mr Kaine said, it was done for political expediency.
If anyone shouts loud enough, listen to them, especially just before an election campaign; but you can bring it back on afterwards and do whatever you like to do with it anyway and forget about consultation. He has accused the Leader of the Opposition, who is a former Planning Minister, as I recall, of having no knowledge of the process.
Mr Wood: That is dead right. It is absolutely the case.
MR DE DOMENICO: Let me tell you that the process was brought into being under an Alliance government, Mr Wood; so he has to have knowledge of it. For all those sorts of reasons, Madam Speaker, I am happy to say that the Assembly should take note of the importance of urban renewal for ensuring the future economic and environmental viability of public services in the Territory. There is no doubt that we all agree with that. We want to know: What is this Government's plan to make that idea come to fruition? We still do not know that.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (11.54): It is pleasing that there is support from opposition members for the thrust of Mr Lamont's motion and that we are all agreed that we note the importance of urban renewal as being so vital for the long-term economic and, indeed, environmental future of our community.
I was intrigued by the frenzied assaults from Mr De Domenico on Mr Wood and me, saying that we should do this and do that. Madam Speaker, as always, while the Opposition postures, the Government gets on and does. Today Mr Wood and I have released the first stage of the Government's major survey on future public transport options for Canberra. Copies of that will be made available to members, as is always the case.
Mr Kaine: It would be nice if we could see that. It might tell us something.
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