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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2022 ..

Integrated transport study

MS DUNDAS: My question is for Mr Corbell as Minister for Planning. Minister, as you are aware, the Assembly in December last year called on the government to develop a territory-wide integrated transport strategy. Since then, we have seen the first step towards the establishment of this strategy. However, the original motion, or the motion passed by the Assembly, also called on the government to consider a number of other things in detail, including the upgrade of existing roads such as Majura, Gundaroo and William Slim roads. Can the minister please inform us on how action on the remainder of this motion is progressing?

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, the government went to the election with a commitment to establish an integrated transport plan for the city. It was an initiative first brought to this place by the government. The government remains committed to the establishment of this strategy. The Department of Urban Services has recently completed its recruitment of a senior transport economist, to provide the necessary expertise within the ACT government to assist with development of an integrated transport strategy.

I have circulated, for the comment of members, the terms of reference for public transport planning in the city. I thank those members who chose to provide their comments in relation to that study. As a result of those comments being considered, a tender for that study should be let shortly.

Ms Dundas raises some other questions about roads. Those are matters which I imagine will be properly detailed when the budget is brought down at the next sitting.

MS DUNDAS: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Minister, the motion also referred to the construction of bus-only lanes between Gungahlin and the city. Are bus-only lanes being considered as part of the western alignment of the Gungahlin Drive extension, as the Assembly has called for?

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, options for dedicated public transport lanes are considered as part of any major new road construction proposal. The Gungahlin Drive extension is clearly a major new road. Provision for dedicated public transport lanes is being considered as part of the design process.

Fireworks

MR CORNWELL: My question is also to Mr Corbell, however it is in his role as Minister for Industrial Relations. Minister, yesterday you issued a media release confirming that only one fireworks retailer has been issued with a licence to sell shopgoods fireworks in the ACT. I understand this retailer is located in Fyshwick. You also warned residents that no other retailers in the ACT have had fireworks classified as suitable for retail sale and therefore cannot legally sell them.

Could you tell me, Mr Corbell, what the government is doing to ensure that those not legally permitted to sell fireworks in the lead-up to the Queen's Birthday long weekend are indeed not doing so?

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