Page 2726 - Week 07 - Thursday, 3 July 2008
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In relation to major infrastructure projects, I believe that both major parties have made some valid points in this discussion today. Certainly, the public need to have confidence that the government of the day will be able to deliver infrastructure projects on time and at a reasonable cost; that is crucial. The reasons behind unreasonable delays or cost blow-outs need to be examined and explained.
I accept the government’s argument, however, that there are valid reasons why there will be delays and that it is a legitimate approach to roll over funding for major infrastructure projects from one year to the next. So I am not sure that the full breadth of the opposition’s criticism of capital projects announced in the 2008-09 budget is entirely justified; it could be a case of opposition for the sake of opposition.
I am critical, however, of the Gungahlin Drive extension. It is clear that the road is not going to serve the Gungahlin community’s needs into the future. Clearly, it should have been built with two lanes in each direction, and that is evident during peak travel periods. What is even more disappointing is the fact that the government have indicated during estimates hearings that they will not be commencing work to expand the road for at least 12 months. The reality is that it could well be years before the necessary work is done to expand the road. Preliminary work, even if it is just monitoring road usage, should begin as soon as possible.
The need for this sort of forward planning relates to the next point that I want to make. The appearance of Canberra has always been a source of great pride to many residents. This is particularly true of older residents who remember the days before self-government well—the days when it almost seemed that footpaths were paved with gold. I recall very well that in the 1970s the attitude of people here was one of pride in the city and the way it was maintained. Although people spoke somewhat irreverently about the three faceless men who ran the NCDC, the fact is that this was a beautifully maintained capital.
I accept that the days of federally fully funded municipal services are over, although one has to recognise there is municipal funding provided under the grants system, to take into account a number of issues related to Canberra being the capital, but I believe that we need a system that will ensure that we maintain a high standard of infrastructure maintenance in the territory. We should have a city that is both easy to live in, with a high standard of municipal infrastructure, and a city that reflects Canberra’s status as the nation’s capital.
I pay credit, as I did in my budget speech last week, to the minister, for both his efficient handling of the many representations that I send his way and the timely manner in which his departmental officers tend to address specific concerns that I raise. They are efficient, and this should be acknowledged, at logging concerns and taking action to address issues like cracked footpaths and roads and poorly maintained parks. This efficiency is needed. Of all the thousands and thousands of issues that have been raised with me since my election to the Assembly, the most common are those that relate to the Territory and Municipal Services portfolio.
I am sure that the minister’s office and the department are thoroughly sick and tired of receiving letters detailing particular constituent concerns about what might seem
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