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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (1 April) . . Page.. 1158 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

These developments are obviously also good news with regard to jobs. Over 500 construction jobs will be created and, on completion, over 600 retail jobs will be created, adding significantly to the employment base for the town centre.

A significant number of people living in other parts of Canberra already shop at the Gungahlin town centre, because of the ease of access. Indeed, 28 per cent of shoppers using Gungahlin live outside of Gungahlin. They will now do so also because of the retail variety, making Gungahlin a significant regional centre in northern Canberra.

Mr Speaker, in addressing further the issue of consultation on the further development of the Gungahlin town centre, I am pleased to advise members that, two weeks ago, I launched a digital animation on the form of the Gungahlin town centre in the future. The animation will be used to inform the community on how the town centre may look as it develops. The launch was attended by over 80 business and community representatives, many of whom provided positive feedback on the animation and also on the plans for the expansion of the town centre.

The animation is an important tool which will assist with a range of consultation and information processes that are currently underway. These include a regular newsletter on developments in the town centre. The first of these was published last week and distributed to all households in Gungahlin. The next issue will be published in May.

A community open day was held last Saturday in a marquee outside the Gungahlin marketplace. At the open day, the animation was running and there were static displays. It was staffed by the GDA and representatives of Coles and Woolworths. I am informed that over 700 people viewed the displays and that feedback on the expansion of the town centre was positive.

Some issues of concern for the community, which will need to be addressed by government agencies, were identified. Another open day is planned, in about four weeks, for further community comment. The animation will be taken to a range of venues over the next few months, to give as many people as possible the opportunity to view and comment upon it.

GDA staff will be offering to attend meetings of local organisations, to show the animation and discuss and receive feedback on issues concerning the development of the town centre. Woolworths and Coles will commence their own program of consultation on their individual development proposals in May.

Issues that have arisen in consultations to date will be the subject of more focus group sessions commencing in May. These will be independently facilitated. They will provide the opportunity for people to discuss the issues concerning them in more detail and will help to formulate the issues.

There will also be a process commenced seeking community input to the design of the town common-the key landscaped public space in the town centre. This space is to be developed as part of the Coles and Woolworths developments. A good outcome is vital to ensure it is a relevant, usable and people-friendly space.

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