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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 5126 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

to the plans for community space. I support the motion moved today by Ms Tucker. I understand that amendments that will be moved to the motion have already been circulated. I will not oppose those amendments in an attempt to ensure the passage of this motion through the Assembly. The government must re-evaluate not just the amount of space that is being made available for the new Griffin Centre; it must also determine how that space will be accessed.

MR CORBELL (Minister for Health and Minister for Planning) (4.54): As Mr Wood said earlier, the government does not support this motion. There are several reasons why the government does not support the motion. The community space that will be provided in the new Griffin Centre will be significantly better than the space that is currently provided at that centre. The new Griffin Centre, which will be a modern building, will be more accessible and accommodate all existing tenants.

It is worth outlining the changes that have occurred in relation to this building. The 2001-02 budget identified $1.7 million for the enhancement of the new Griffin Centre. Of that amount an extra $500,000 is to be spent on additional floor space with the balance to be spent on fit-out. Additional floor space is also required at the replacement youth centre to accommodate the Junction and funds are being found to accommodate that enhancement.

The government has already invested a significant amount to improve the level of community space. The existing Griffin Centre, which is a two-storey building, has a floor area of 2,340 square metres that can be let. The new centre is not as large but it is more efficient. It will have a gross floor area of approximately 3,640 square metres. It will have a ground floor area of 950 square metres and the floor area that will be able to be let will be around 2,870 square metres. That is an increase of 530 square metres, or a 20 per cent increase in the total floor area that can be let in the new building as opposed to the existing building. That is a significant increase by any standard.

The government and I as planning minister are concerned that Ms Tucker's motion will further delay the development of this important and much-needed community facility building in Civic. It will also delay the development of the remainder of section 56. The deed signed between the territory and the Queensland Investment Corporation, which is the successful tenderer, requires that the Griffin Centre be built first. The construction of the Griffin Centre, which is the first milestone, has already gone past the timeframe set out in the deed. Further negotiation beyond that which will satisfactorily resolve the issues outlined earlier by Mr Wood will only delay the development of this important site in Civic. I do not think that is in the interests of the territory or of territory residents.

It is important for those members of the Liberal Party who support this motion to reflect on the fact that they will no longer be able to criticise the government for delaying or holding back development in this key part of Civic if they are successful in imposing timeframes and new requirements additional to those that are already in place between the territory and the Queensland Investment Corporation. Ms Dundas said in her contribution that there was a serious lack of community facility space in Canberra.

I have with me a somewhat lengthy list of the community facilities that are already available in Canberra and I wish to place that information on the record. Canberra has a broad-ranging capacity for community facility space. There are 11 community centres

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