Page 2850 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 17 August 2005
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Barret, a respected land developer and local businessman; Mr Tim Efkapedis, another well-known property investor and developer; and representatives from the key ACT and federal government agencies
The Chief Minister’s Department, the economic development department, the Department of Urban Services, the Treasury, the Planning and Land Authority, the Land Development Agency and the National Capital Authority are represented. All of these organisations are represented at a senior level on the task force. I am particularly pleased that the NCA is fully participating in this important project, as the National Capital Authority has a particular statutory role in the planning of the city and it is essential, if recommendations are to come to fruition, that both the NCA and the government work together to achieve a positive, balanced, productive outcome. The task force has been charged, as I have said, with a number of short-term responsibilities that will provide the government with advice on how best to advance the comprehensive development of the City Hill precinct.
But Canberra central is not just about City Hill. Canberra central is about all the central Canberra area: City West, city east, the City Hill precinct, extension down Constitution Avenue, extension across to the lake. Once the task force has done its immediate work on the issues around City Hill, there will need to be an ongoing role for the business sector, the community sector and government agencies—the public sector—to be engaged in monitoring, advising and guiding the future growth and development of the Canberra central area.
The Griffin legacy outlines a very comprehensive view from a national capital perspective of how the central area should be developed. Equally, the government’s planning work, particularly through City West, outlines how we want to see more urban city living outcomes achieved in the city centre. Then there is a range of private sector proposals. All of these must be brought into the mix. So the ongoing work of the Canberra central task force will include issues such as addressing the municipal government issues in the city centre.
We do have, and have had historically, a fragmented approach to municipal administration and municipal services in the city centre—waste, garbage, transport, parking, signage, landscaping; all these things. All of these things must be delivered in a coherent and coordinated way. They sound simple; they sound basic; but they are the fundamental building blocks upon which you build a vibrant city centre and demonstrate pride in the city centre. At the same time, the large-scale land use planning issues must also be well addressed, and that is one important role that the Canberra central task force will have and will continue to have post its work on the specific City Hill precinct issues.
The government has a comprehensive framework in place for addressing these issues. These are complex and often contentious issues, but they are important for the future growth and development of our city. The government’s commitment is: the city must be a tangible and effective city centre that drives economic activity and social and cultural life in Canberra and the region. The Canberra central task force gives us that opportunity.
The motion proposed by Dr Foskey outlines in many respects the philosophy and the approach the government has already adopted. It outlines the range of issues the
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