Page 1186 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 30 May 2007
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Mr Pratt: Then why are you doing that?
MR BARR: Mr Speaker, it should not be taken as some sort of field day to beat up on school principals or school boards. We have a whole-of-government response. We have a variety of agencies and supports that we can bring to bear in terms of providing supports for schools. But where matters such as the ones that have been on the front page of the Canberra Times are brought to attention, they are appropriately referred to police because they are assaults. It is not bullying; it is assault.
Civic—car parking
MS PORTER: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. In light of the government’s announcement yesterday of the proposed development of section 63, can the minister outline the impact on parking in that area and what measures the government has taken to alleviate the resulting parking pressures during the construction period?
MR HARGREAVES: I thank Ms Porter for the question. I am pleased to inform members that the Stanhope Labor government will invest $2½ million to increase parking in the city in support of the development of section 63. The sale of section 63, city will see displacement of parking from that site, which currently provides 700 publicly available multistay pay parking spaces for working commuters, visitors and those coming into the city for business.
Currently, parking on section 63 is taken up by city commuters and construction employees working on completing the Metropolitan development on section 6 in the city and the new offices on sections 61, 90, 91 and 92 in the city. At section 63 on average around 200 parking spaces remain unused each working day.
Once construction work on the new offices is completed, it is estimated there will be between 300 and 350 parking spaces available for additional office workers who will occupy the National Information and Communication Technology Australia office, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry office, plus private sector offices on sections 61, 90, 91 and 92 in the city. In addition, the current spare capacity in the Acton ferry terminal car park and the southern part of the section 19 car park on the eastern side of Commonwealth Avenue will provide further parking opportunities for commuters and visitors alike.
Movement of employees across the city is dynamic and consolidation of the Australian Taxation Office in the new Canberra Centre offices on sections 84 and 89 in the city will see parking demand in City West eased, thus freeing up additional spaces which can accommodate the growth in demand from developments presently under construction.
Development conditions associated with section 63 in the city will require the maintenance of at least 200 publicly available parking spaces on the section 63 site at all times, together with onsite provision of parking for construction workers. A further 150 temporary public pay parking spaces are to be provided on the southern side of an extended Edinburgh Avenue.
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