Page 2709 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 23 June 2009
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current Stanhope-Gallagher government, after numerous requests, for the government response to the closure of the Wanniassa medical centre to be finally tabled in the Assembly.
This is yet another clear example of a government that continually ignores the Brindabella constituency—six long months of indecision and prevarication, during which time pain and suffering were inflicted on yet another community, the Wanniassa community; six long months of this Assembly missing the opportunity to look at possible legislative responses that could have been pursued in this regard. It is another example of the government’s disregard of the committee system and committee recommendations, even in cases where the majority of the committee, including the chair of the committee, were government members, and a further example of the arrogant way that the Stanhope-Gallagher government continues to treat the people of Tuggeranong and southern Canberra.
The list of areas of concern goes on and on. Let me turn to policing. Tuggeranong police station has its hands full. There is no shortage of complaints to my office—not about the police themselves, but about the lack of resources for ACT police and the effect this has on the response time for some call-outs. The situation in Tuggeranong has seen a growth and resurgence of community involvement in assisting in the protection of property from growing vandalism. Neighbourhood Watch last year established a Calwell chapter, and further Neighbourhood Watch committees are being established in Theodore and Wanniassa.
Let me turn to sport. There is a distinct lack of sporting facilities in the outer suburbs of the south. I have mentioned before in this place the Tuggeranong Archery Club’s well thought out proposal to build in Tuggeranong a multiuse sporting facility with the added benefit of being completely disability friendly. I hope that will come to fruition in the very near future. Many clubs are looking for a facility, including ACT Fencing, ACT trampolining, table tennis—the list goes on. The proposal put forward by the Tuggeranong Archery Club will fill this gap, with the added benefit of a locale outside the geographic centre of Canberra.
Pool lane space is particularly lacking in the outer suburbs of the south. As an indication, the total number of metres of lane space in the whole of Canberra’s south in winter is approximately just 900 metres as opposed to 1,380 metres in the north. And when we see the exclusion of Erindale pool and the Deakin Oasis pool, which has since closed down, lane space is reduced to just 400 metres of lane space for south-side pool users.
In conclusion, let me say that there is much to be said about the benefits of living in the outer suburbs of Canberra, particularly in the south, but only if you are not a participant in motor sport. It also helps if you have no children of school age, so that you do not have to worry about school closures, and if you never need to access GPs, as it is almost impossible to find a GP in Tuggeranong who still takes on new clients.
The Stanhope-Gallagher government has, sadly, failed the people of Tuggeranong over the past seven years, especially when it comes to the provision of facilities and services.
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