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Let me turn to suburban shopping centres. Canberra's retail industry is at a point where its future viability needs to be evaluated. The future of many enterprises in local and group shopping centres particularly is in question. It seems clear that if we follow the present course we may one day find our townships dominated by megamalls offering shops dominated by either management-operated or franchise-operated chain-stores. The alternative is to put some work into developing how we make our neighbourhood group centres and local shops more viable.

Mr Speaker, the Government favours the latter approach. Canberra's many neighbourhood group centres and local shops provide a personal and convenient method of shopping for most Canberrans. To that end, the Government is developing a retail strategy based on independent retail studies and a social impact study of changing trends in retailing in the ACT. The Government will require substantial justification pursuant to that strategy before approval is given to expand town centres. The proposals to expand such centres will be required to take account of the key elements of retailing in the Territory Plan, namely, a range of facilities in districts all around Canberra which offer diversity and choice, not just in major shopping malls. In other words, the Government's predisposition to applications to extend town centres where there will be a marked and adverse effect on our group centres or local shops is not favourable.

The Government will do all it possibly can not to allow town centres to expand at the cost of local shops. Our commitment is to local shops because they provide a local need to local communities. Having said that, we recognise the need for town centres to provide a wide array of choice to customers and to remain price and market competitive with other cities. Two weeks ago, I launched the results of the retail study. This study gives planners much valuable data to be able to assess the future viability of local shopping centres against proposals from the town centres to expand. The main part of this study examined the existing structure of the retail industry in Canberra and Queanbeyan and estimated future resident, worker and tourist expenditure in the industry for several categories of retail goods.

The retail evaluation model simulated consumer shopping and travel behaviour and compared the demand for products with the supply of shops. The models used in the study enable estimates of undersupply and oversupply of shop floor space, the expenditure retained within each district measured, comparisons with other capital cities and an assessment of town centre expansion proposals. The study is a market-based analysis which considers travel accessibility, attractiveness of shopping centres, location of competitors, and trading hours. It also ensures that the maximum possible opportunity is given to assess the future retail needs of newer areas of Canberra like South Tuggeranong and Gungahlin. The Government commits itself to a commencement of the Gungahlin Town Centre prior to the end of 1995.

Much has been made of the retail study in view of an application by Leda Holdings to extend the Tuggeranong Hyperdome. The Government welcomes an application from Leda to extend the Hyperdome, provided that it is accompanied by justification for its expansion. And, of course, the retail study will be a useful benchmark against which Leda's application will be tested. The retail study shows, in particular, that future concentration of retail floor space for food retailers in the Tuggeranong Town Centre will have severe and adverse effects on local shopping centres in Tuggeranong.

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