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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (12 March) . . Page.. 961 ..

MRS BURKE (continuing):

The library is one issue. It is a very interesting issue. Has West Belconnen been forgotten by this government? That is what I ask myself. That is what I get asked. I am asking this question of the government, not of the former government. What is this government going to do? They made some promises. They said they were going to do things better. I want to see them act on that. It is time to stop the blame game that we keep getting accused of. Labor now have an opportunity to put things right.

One business has been broken into and another has suffered severe vandalism twice in as many months. I am wondering whether the government are up to date with their information and realise that. With losses of around $5,000, it does not seem small fry to me. The place is sad and run down, and businesses are suffering.

I support Ms Dundas's motion. I understand that she has circulated some amendments. Let us see the timetable. Let the government put their plan on the table for all to see, and quickly.

MS TUCKER (4.50): The Greens will be supporting this motion. Planning and providing community facilities in Kippax have been ongoing problems and an irritation for the community under successive governments over the years. While this has been an irritation for the Liberal and Labor governments that have not grasped the nettle and provided the solutions the community has long been calling for, it has been a case of long drawn-out frustration for the people of Kippax, whose reasonable expectations for community facilities have been given a very low priority over far too many years.

This neglect and stuffing around has resulted in an intense sense of frustration on the part of the community, coupled with considerable suspicion of government planners' intentions. These people have good reason to recognise and question the line: "I am from the government. I am here to help you."

It will be a big challenge, then, for this government to convince the Kippax community that it will consult in good faith and deliver the sorts of community facilities they have been seeking and that the planning regime will be sound and community focused, rather than develop led and ad hoc. But that is the government's challenge, and I hope it is up to the task.

I would like to thank the minister for providing a briefing by PALM on the Kippax issues and for the work planners have been doing in this area since these matters were last debated in the Assembly in the middle of last year. Although we did very much appreciate this briefing and the insight it gave us into the government's intentions, I must point out that there are glaring differences between what the community-based Kippax task force has been asking for and the concept plan that the government plans to present to the community for consideration.

I have been assured by the government that this is only a concept plan and that it is open to variation on the basis of the community consultation phase about to begin. We accept that assurance in good faith and will be most interested to see how this plays out.

It will be up to the government to mediate differences between what the community says

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