Page 4975 - Week 13 - Thursday, 12 November 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Because it is officially outside the parliamentary zone even though it is in the parliamentary triangle, there is no parliamentary scrutiny of its design or the decision to build it. Because it is for “defence purposes” the parliament’s public works committee cannot look into it. In fact, the federal government obtained a declaration from the Governor-General that referring the project to the committee would be contrary to the public interest. So the only chance that we as Canberrans had to comment on it was through the EPBC Act which, as I have said, is an important act but it is hardly a town planning act, whatever you might say about it.
The North Canberra Community Council passed a motion a few months ago; I am afraid I have not got the exact date but I was there at the meeting, when there was a lot of angst. It describes fairly well the public views on what is going on here.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne): Ms Le Couteur, could you just resume your seat for a moment. Chief Minister and Mr Barr, all through the 10 minutes of Ms Le Couteur’s presentation you have been talking. Ms Le Couteur has a soft voice. It is very hard for members to hear, so could you keep it down or move outside.
MS LE COUTEUR: Thank you, Madam Assistant Speaker; I will also try to speak up. The NCCC says:
NCCC believes there has been inadequate public scrutiny in the approval of the new ASIO building on Commonwealth land south of Constitution Avenue between Wendourie Drive and Blamey Crescent.
The NCCC calls on the Commonwealth Government, in consultation with the ACT Government, to:
improve public consultation and transparency of the planning process for buildings in Canberra within areas of Australian Government responsibility; and
halt the construction of the ASIO building to enable a thorough and open process of consultation with the community on its location, site and design.
Another organisation which has been very vocal in its criticism of this has been the Walter Burley Griffin Society. As you would imagine from their title, their role in life is to try and protect Walter Burley Griffin’s plan for the national capital. They made a number of comments, saying:
… distinctive features of the National Capital Plan are currently under major threat from the series of Plan amendments, construction projects, approved developments and planning consultancies …
In order of magnitude of impact, one of the worst would be the massive ASIO headquarters which will sit directly across the lake from the High Court and the Parliamentary Triangle between Constitution Avenue and Parkes Way and just a stone’s throw from Anzac Parade.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video