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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4622 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

it is a living plan. The plan was developed after extensive community consultation conducted through seminars, workshops, public meetings, surveys, focus groups and meetings with stakeholders and interest groups. In all forms of consultation the message was the same - the need to secure the ACT's economic future.

Mr Speaker, Canberrans recognise that without a secure economic outlook they cannot afford to continue to enjoy the lifestyle and the level of services that they have come to expect. We need to focus on breaking down the impediments to economic growth and to pursue a partnership with the business sector and the broader community. The ACT's national capital role and our position as the hub of the Australian capital region mean that we must also be outward looking. Canberra: A Capital Future recognises all of Canberra's roles with a set of concrete actions for the ACT Government to meet community expectations and a set of actions to encourage the Federal Government to do this as well.

Almost a year ago, in response to the Stein inquiry and the Mant/Collins review of planning functions, the Government decided to establish a whole-of-government strategic planning function in my department. Canberra: A Capital Future is more than just a land use plan. We have gone considerably further than that.

Mr Moore: It is a Business Council plan.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Moore does not seem to like this. He does not seem to like a situation where the community has said what they believe - - -

Mr Moore: The business community.

MRS CARNELL: Not the business community, but 1,200 Canberrans via a survey, public meetings, seminars, and the list goes on. Mr Speaker, what Canberrans say in this particular strategic plan is that they know that they cannot maintain the sort of Canberra that they want to live in if we do not get the economic development or the economic future of this city - - -

Mr Moore: Nobody is disagreeing with that part.

MRS CARNELL: Then you do not have to interrupt. We believe that this strategic plan brings together what the community want for their city and what is possible in the ACT. I will be very happy to table for members today the questionnaire that went out to Canberrans asking them to give us their views for facing our future. This is the reality - - -

Mr Whitecross: What about the results? Are you going to table them, too?

MRS CARNELL: I am actually very happy to show members of the Assembly the results of the community consultation. Mr Speaker, it is very interesting that all groups said that what they understood was important for this city was to make sure that our economic future was solid and that we had jobs for Canberra. They also said that health, education, transport and issues like that were important but not nearly as important as ensuring that our economic future was solid and that we had jobs both for ourselves

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