Page 574 - Week 02 - Thursday, 9 March 2006
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centre, and there can be no stronger vote of confidence in the city than that. Indeed, the Canberra Times called it the golden age of development activity. I think that was a little bit of hyperbole from the Canberra Times but, nevertheless, it is worth making the point.
Let me go through the levels of development activity happening in the city centre as a result of the government’s commitment to support development applications and development proposals, and to streamline the planning processes to allow this to happen. This is all about the look and feel of the city. It is all about creating a vibrant city centre that people are interested in coming to. Section 61 in the city has a new building for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to the value of $63 million. Section 88 in the city has a new building for the department of industry, trade and resources with a value of $58 million.
Section 84 in the city has a new retail, commercial and entertainment precinct to the value of $105 million. Another part of that section, Precinct D—a residential precinct—has a value of over $30 million. Section 89 in the city has a new building for the department of taxation to the value of $110 million. Section 6 in the city has another new residential building to the value of $50 million. Section 91 contains the new National Information Communication Technology Australia building to the value of $45 million. In section 90 in the city we have the Williamson building to a value of $16 million. Then there is the new building on section 10, where the redevelopment of the YMCA site is taking place. This is the sign of commercial and business confidence in our city centre. That level of investment, which is close to a billion dollars worth of approved development activity in the city centre as a consequence of this government’s planning policies and its preparedness to support this level of investment, is creating a vibrant city centre and is what our city needs.
I will now address Mr Smyth’s point about having a vibrant city centre. I make the point that this level of investment is extremely significant. Of course there is a whole range of other strategies in place through our Canberra central program. These include new guidelines and designs for new paving and street furniture which will be progressively rolled out, with the first stage in Childers Street already funded in the budget. The government is continuing to work with local businesses on the area of benefit levy. That work is now very well progressed and will allow for an even better level of maintenance in the city centre to address some of the perceptions that exist around graffiti, litter and other issues. That is a very important part of what we are doing in the city centre. The government wants to respond proactively on that issue.
We also have new signage up and running in the city centre. Again, it is all about the look and feel of the city centre. This government has a comprehensive program which is working, delivering results, encouraging private sector investment and addressing the normal urban maintenance responsibilities Canberrans expect of the ACT government. It is a program the government will continue to work to improve and continue to deliver as efficiently and effectively as possible. That is what Canberrans expect and that is what we will always seek to deliver.
MR MULCAHY (Molonglo) (4.22): Mr Hargreaves made a very valid point by way of interjection. I am at variance with Mr Pratt a little because I sympathise with Mr Hargreaves’s near impossible position. Although he is a voting member of the cabinet of the territory government he is, of course, saddled with the consequences of
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