Page 1877 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 14 June 1994
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receive over $200,000 to provide private sector work experience for unemployed teenagers. The Canberra Institute of Technology will receive $700,000 more than in the forward estimates for 1994-95, and $1.4m in 1995-96 to permit it to make available more than 200 extra part-time equivalent places in each of those years. These places will be offered in priority areas for employment growth, economic development and community well-being, with 50 of the additional places reserved for EEO target groups.
Madam Speaker, the 1994 budget is a major contributor to building activity in the Territory. New works totalling over $96m have been approved as part of the budget. In conjunction with continuing works approved in earlier years, and the programs of the ACT Housing Trust and ACTEW, the Territory Government will be paying for some $206m of public works activity in 1994-95. This is expected to support about 3,500 jobs. The public works program, Madam Speaker, together with the extra asset maintenance work funded in the budget, represents a major investment in expanding and maintaining public assets for future generations.
A key part of the infrastructure development of the city is our road system. We will provide an additional $2m per year for increased roads maintenance. When combined with gains from improved productivity, this represents a significant increase in maintenance. Major road works in the 1994 program include reconstruction of the Monaro Highway, development of greater capacity in expanding areas, including duplication of Drakeford Drive to improve access for South Tuggeranong residents, and upgraded intersections to improve traffic safety on arterial roads such as Ginninderra Drive and Kingsford Smith Drive in Belconnen. Since the ACT budget was finalised, the Commonwealth has announced a further $1.6m for the Territory in 1994-95 to be spent on planning duplication of the Federal Highway to the New South Wales border and repairing and upgrading the Federal and Barton highways.
Rejuvenation of our older local shopping centres to improve safety, access and public amenity is being given priority. We will be drawing on the experience gained in the successful pilot at O'Connor shops in developments initially in Hughes and Narrabundah. Work will be undertaken to revitalise the Civic end of Ainslie Avenue to make it more useable and friendly for pedestrians. Madam Speaker, the Government has succeeded in removing the impediment imposed by the Commonwealth on the planned building of the Magistrates Court, and this major project will now go ahead during 1994-95. Refurbishment of the City Police Station will also commence. The full cost of these two projects totals nearly $25m.
The Government has succeeded in pursuing a strategy of accommodating its operations in owned buildings wherever it is cost-effective to do so. The Assembly and Executive occupied this refurbished South Building during 1993-94. Macarthur House has been undergoing refurbishment, and $6.6m has been allocated for further refurbishment work with a saving on rented accommodation. The Government has already saved in the order of $4m through its accommodation strategy over recent years and expects to save about a further $1.8m in 1994-95.
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