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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (8 April) . . Page.. 695 ..

Traffic Management - Lyneham

MR MOORE: My question is to Mr Kaine in his capacity as Minister for Urban Services. Mr Kaine, can you explain to us why your department seems to be prepared to proceed with traffic lights on the corner of Mouat and Brigalow Streets in Lyneham prior to a time when the whole issue of how the traffic flows has been resolved, particularly when the establishment of traffic lights without a duplication of Mouat Street is likely to increase traffic flows through Lyneham and create more problems than it will resolve?

MR KAINE: The question of what should be done in Mouat Street has been on the books for a long time. In fact, I understand that you personally attended a public meeting on this matter only last weekend. The problem flows from the refusal of the National Capital Authority to allow Ginninderra Drive to be extended, as was always intended, through to Northbourne Avenue. That creates a long-term problem for Mouat Street and the people who live on it. There have been a number of proposals over the years as to how that might be alleviated. Some would argue, I suppose, that if we built the John Dedman Parkway, which a lot of people here seem to oppose, it would take the pressure off and the people in Mouat Street might feel a lot more comfortable with the situation.

That seems not to be a short-term solution, so our traffic engineers have been looking at other ways of alleviating the traffic flow there, or slowing it down, and reducing the noise level for people who live nearby. I think that they have had to make some decisions in the short term while they are waiting for parliaments, both this one and the one across the lake, to make up their minds about what the long-term solution to the traffic problems in northern Canberra is. If that includes a set of traffic lights in the short term to slow people down, alleviate the noise and make it a bit more pleasant for the people who live there, then perhaps that is the right solution.

Mrs Carnell: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

ACTAC Building - Security Arrangements

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I wish to give an answer to the question which Mr Osborne asked and which I took on notice. The answer that I have been given is yes, the building owner was consulted and oral approval was given. With regard to Customs staff, some Customs staff expressed concerns about some of the initial delays. Since the teething problems have been sorted out, there have been no formal complaints whatsoever. The cost was $39,000, not $70,000. Where the $70,000 might have come from is that that was the cost of maintaining the old system over the last 12 months.

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