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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2206 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

Innovative projects in the arts will also benefit from this budget. Additional funding of $1.764 million over four years will be provided to further develop arts programs such as the Cutting Edge initiative, enhancing the role of major local arts organisations and presenting a new program of artworks in public places.

A sustainable Canberra

Mr Speaker, this government is committed to achieving a balanced approach to meeting economic, social and environmental goals. We will preserve the things that Canberrans love about the territory and enhance our legacy to future generations. Sustainability cannot be achieved overnight. It requires a long-term approach, one that builds on experience and an expanding knowledge base.

This government has moved quickly on this priority with the establishment of the Office of Sustainability. The office has already begun work to ensure that sustainability will be incorporated into all government programs and initiatives. The concept of sustainability will feature in our key strategic plans-the economic white paper, the social plan and the spatial plan.

We have also provided funding of $1.2 million for solar hot-water rebates and other greenhouse initiatives and additional funding for nature conservation of $1.5 million over three years.

This budget continues the contribution towards producing the State of the Environment Report. Additional funding of $375,000 will be provided over four years.

An important part of a sustainable Canberra is our public transport system. As promised, the government has introduced single-zone travel for ACTION bus patrons. A sustainable transport plan will be undertaken to develop a comprehensive transport strategy to serve the ACT to the year 2020. The strategy will include public transport, new parking arrangements, bicycles, pedestrians, roads, and land use and transport integration.

The introduction of pay parking in Belconnen and Tuggeranong is an important part of the government's transport strategy, which is designed to provide incentives to encourage transport through modes other than the private car. This complements the single-zone bus fares being introduced in ACTION. This initiative will also make parking arrangements in Belconnen and Tuggeranong consistent with other major centres in the ACT.

Mr Speaker, I am pleased to announce that this budget will fund the purchase of a number of new buses, which demonstrates the government's ongoing commitment to improve the accessibility of buses over a 20-year period. Funding of $17.2 million will be provided over five years for this purpose.

This government has provided a significant increase in the base funding of ACTION to address cost pressures that are being faced by ACTION. Major items include rising insurance premiums, the cost of purchasing spare parts from overseas, a new requirement to pay for bus registration and an overall raising of base funding to a sustainable level.

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