Page 847 - Week 03 - Thursday, 14 April 1994
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Community Safety
MS SZUTY: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is also to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning, Mr Wood. My question concerns the perception that areas of Civic are unsafe, particularly after hours, and what this may mean for residential development in Civic. In this context, I am sure all members are aware of the recent sale off the plan of residential units to be built on the site of the old ANZ offices in Civic and the fact that the demand for these units was so great that a ballot process was needed to allocate them. This clearly demonstrates a strong demand for residential accommodation in Civic - a most welcome development. In an article for the Reid Residents Association journal, the Chief Planner, George Tomlins, indicated that the Territory Planning Authority will be undertaking a study of the relationships - - -
Mr Berry: I take a point of order. The question is getting a bit long, I think. This is the sort of question that really ought to go on notice.
MADAM SPEAKER: The question does seem mighty long, Ms Szuty. Would you like to accelerate it a little.
MS SZUTY: I am coming to the point, Madam Speaker. I think I got to the point that the Planning Authority will be undertaking a study of the relationships between planning, design and safety in Civic and in other areas, that this will involve a safety audit of Civic and that it will ultimately contribute to the formulation of an integrated community safety strategy for the ACT - something which Mr Connolly has talked about. Can the Minister inform the Assembly whether the study has started and when it is likely to be completed?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I think the first thing I would say in relation to the sale of the ANZ Bank units, if I can put it that way, is that the best way of making Civic safe is to put people into it. It is very well established that the busier a place is the safer it is. Any policies that have people in Civic, close to the city, are good policies toward maintaining a very safe record. The study is under way. In large measure, that is in terms of laying it out, how it is going to proceed, and discussions between people in Mr Connolly's area and mine. It is under way. You obviously have seen some of the pre-material coming out. We are getting to the stage where we will be talking further to community groups, to people who are interested. It is going well. As to the time of completion, I do not have a date. I am not sure whether a particular date for completion has been set. I might indicate that we have a number of studies going on around Civic, and in some measure or other they do tend to impact on safety. There is quite a deal of activity on the subject of Civic. Civic is going to be the vital, throbbing, active heart of Canberra.
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