Page 4193 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 29 November 1994
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expanding by something like a quarter to a third of its capacity. Does she want that to stop? She might be aware of other claims for expansion in the valley. She is not really aware. She is again shooting from the hip, but the gun is aimed at her feet. Mrs Carnell asked a question in question time, knocking small to medium size business that wanted to move to our new technology park.
Mr Humphries: Rubbish!
MR WOOD: Where does she stand? She said that we do not need it. "Do not do it", she said. On this occasion she was supporting Queanbeyan interests over Canberra interests. I take a fairly cooperative regional view; but Mrs Carnell was saying, "Let us look after Queanbeyan". It is not the stance Mr Stefaniak took the other day in respect to the noise emanating from one of our racing tracks. The Liberals really have great difficulty in coming to any consistent sort of view of the world.
This MPI refers specifically to a retail study. I have given some indication of that in question time. We acknowledge the need to investigate the future retail requirements and trends in the valley prior to the development of major - I emphasise the word "major" - retail developments. A number of the growing areas of southern Tuggeranong are still without retail facilities. Despite Mrs Carnell's claims to the contrary, we are going to provide those retail facilities where the people want them. While some sectors of the retail industry are claiming that there is an oversupply of retail space, we note the application by the Hyperdome.
It is clear that the commercial environment in Tuggeranong, as elsewhere in Canberra, is changing. This is due in part to population expansion, but also to emerging changes and trends in the retail industry and in consumer preferences and shopping patterns. Shops are now operating for longer hours. Retail stores have enlarged their range of stock and functions. Some types of shops and services have moved to different centres. Service stations have increased their associated shopping areas. Since 1990 the population of Tuggeranong has grown from about 70,000 to an estimated 85,000 in 1993. Retail space has increased from 90,000 square metres in 1990 to 108,000 square metres in 1993. However, Tuggeranong still has the lowest provision of retail floor space per resident of any district in Canberra.
Earlier I instructed the Planning Authority to undertake a further retail study in Tuggeranong to establish the criteria by which future decisions about expansion of retail space may be made, and any decisions on location of that space. Over recent weeks a principal of Ibecon, a firm of retail consultants, has been briefed to provide advice to the ACT Planning Authority on some of these issues and has commenced work. As I indicated before, that work will not impact on our determination to provide the so-called corner stores in Tuggeranong, nor will it impact on current work in the valley. We will not take any notice of Mrs Carnell's wish to stop development. This study will recommend the size of commercially viable retail centres in South Tuggeranong in 1995 and 2001, prior to the release of land for these centres. It will also examine current proposals in Tuggeranong and their impact on existing and future shopping centres. A model will be developed which will estimate future market sizes for goods and services by area and which can evaluate the impact of changes in the retail system.
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