Page 4537 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 14 December 1993
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Their stated preference is for a major national institution, at least on part of that site. Many Canberra citizens, on the other hand, see the site as having a much broader range of options, and Ms Szuty spent a deal of time again canvassing those options.
The master plan study is being coordinated by a steering committee convened by the National Capital Planning Authority. ACT Government agencies are represented on that committee. The NCPA has used a variety of techniques to develop ideas and to seek a consensus on the future of the site. Indeed, it has had a number of starts and stops and restarts as it tries to find the correct formula for determining what ought to go there. The first of its steps was the establishment of a community committee to consider the options and provide advice to the steering committee. This community consultative committee, under the leadership of Mr Rae Else-Mitchell, has conducted a number of workshops with the community and is reported - I say reported - to have made some progress in this work. Other techniques have included the involvement of students in a design project and the holding of the recent urban design forum. This forum developed eight principles on which the Acton Peninsula and the West Basin should be developed. Then, of course, there are the community based groups that Ms Szuty referred to.
The ACT Government has always said that the site should remain available to the community and should include a range of public spaces and public facilities. In addition, the view of the ACT Government has always been that the Acton Peninsula is an appropriate site for health facilities. The proposal for a hospice was consistent with this approach. As members will be aware, the hospice proposal was not approved by the NCPA. Discussions on that matter are still continuing.
The proposal from Commonwealth authorities for the relocation of the National Museum from its current proposed site at Yarramundi Reach to the Acton Peninsula emerged a little time ago. My understanding is that there is still some discussion of this proposal within the Commonwealth Government; but, as far as I am aware, no formal approach has been made to the ACT Government on the issue. The decision on the siting of the National Museum will be one for the Commonwealth Government, but because the Acton Peninsula site is Territory land there will need to be a good deal of negotiation with and agreement by the ACT Government. In practical terms, such a decision, or any decision, is feasible only with the support of the ACT Government. It may be that the appropriate action should be that the Commonwealth Government confirm a preference for the site, but they need to determine their view, I think, fairly soon. For our part, we will maintain liaison with the Commonwealth authorities, and I will keep the community and the Assembly informed of progress as it is made.
Ms Szuty's MPI seeks publicly to resolve and to determine the future. I think it is pretty clear that that is happening. I think the final point I should make is that this is a significant site. I guess you could say that Canberrans regard it as a sacred site. I do not see that there is need for a great rush on this matter, so long as it is being dealt with properly. I am not racing to a conclusion. There are many difficulties involved and there are many different views, and the NCPA needs to proceed down the correct track and make sure that it encompasses all views and keeps discussing the matter with us. We will certainly see that that happens. I do not think that the NCPA will want to hurry
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