Page 1738 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 5 May 2010
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It is important that we address the problems behind these decisions so that in future these greenfields developments do not end up with the same challenges that many of those who live in Dunlop are facing at this time. It is vital that we work with local communities in our suburbs which are looking at community amenity shortfalls to ensure that their concerns are addressed.
The consultation needs to include all stakeholders, not just the residents of the suburb in question. We need to look at other areas around those suburbs. Recently we had the case of the Giralang shops. Developing shops on that site will probably have an impact on Kaleen and other small local shopping centres. With these things we need to look at the bigger picture and not take a piecemeal approach. That is why we think that a good approach to planning includes all of these issues.
As we have heard today, there is a DA out there for Dunlop. It has been notified. I urge the government to work with the owner of the land to develop shops or to develop something that is going to be viable in that area—something that is going to provide an opportunity to build the social fabric of that suburb.
In his motion Mr Coe raises the issue of childcare facilities. That is one that probably needs a little more investigation. It was announced in the budget that $4 million over the next two years will be set aside to redevelop part of the closed Flynn primary school for childcare. We need to look at what is out there. Would it be viable to put childcare into Dunlop? Maybe it would. These are important things you need to be looking at. You need to ensure that you have the right information so that you do not set things up to fail. We know that 110 childcare places will be going into Flynn. Of course, Flynn is very close to Dunlop. For many parents, it would be quite convenient to drive past Flynn and drop off their children on their way to Belconnen or the city or wherever their workplace may be.
West Belconnen has been shown to be an area which needs increased attention to address issues of social inclusion. The problems in Dunlop concerning transport, access to community facilities and access to services can be echoed across many suburbs in the area. I note the government’s plans so far include their measures for increasing health services in the area and I ask them to consider further planning and consultation around a holistic approach to planning and providing services for west Belconnen. This includes further funding for the development of the remainder of the former Flynn primary school into a community hub so that it can provide a range of community services to the suburb of Flynn and also the surrounding suburbs.
Again, I thank Mr Coe for giving us this opportunity to discuss Dunlop today. I look forward to seeing the future provision of services in this suburb. I commend the amendment that has been put forward by Ms Le Couteur.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (11.48): I congratulate Mr Coe on bringing forward this motion on Dunlop today. There are important issues for me, as a member for Ginninderra, in this motion today. As Mr Coe has pointed out—via the caller who rang the Chief Minister last year about this—Dunlop is a very large suburb by ACT standards. For whatever reason—and the Chief Minister was right—it was originally
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