Page 1942 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 May 2010
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achievers determined to better their lives and the lives of their families and future generations. The history of Canberra and the region is very much consistent with this. I hope the government gives due attention to promoting and sharing this heritage of ours.
There are a number of initiatives in this year’s budget that have been marketed as being beneficial for young people. However, again we see very little in the way of a forward plan for service delivery specifically for the youth of the territory. While the ACT has a significant ageing population, we continue to have a higher proportion of young people than the national average. Where is the forward planning for the implementation of the ACT young people’s plan in this budget? The government has waxed lyrical about the whole-of-government policy framework for all young people in the ACT, but where is the foundation to implement this?
Infrastructure funding for items such as CIT vocational education in Gungahlin, a new Gungahlin library within the Gungahlin college, and a Gungahlin health centre is welcome, but, again, we eagerly await the successful delivery of this infrastructure. I also note that the average cost per custody day at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre is extremely high at $1,340.
Within my electorate of Ginninderra, encompassing all of Belconnen, Nicholls and Hall, there are a number of capital projects that will be taking place. The Lake Ginninderra foreshore upgrade has been going on for a number of years and has been rescoped on a number of occasions. I do not think anybody is completely sure as to what is being done, when it is going to be done and how much it is actually going to cost. I know that $200,000 has been allocated to the design of a skate park in Belconnen. However, there is no date proposed for the commencement of construction. It is also not clear exactly where it will be constructed.
I note a major bus stops program will be implemented in Kippax with new park-and-ride and bike-and-ride facilities provided for Belconnen residents along with a program to install bus shelters in Belconnen. However, the question remains whether the government is actually able to deliver on these promises.
The suburb of Flynn has been allocated $4 million for a community childcare centre. However, once again, the views put forward by the Flynn community have been ignored by the government. The Flynn community believe that the proposal put forward by the government does not allow for a sustainable community hub. The John Flynn Community Group and the Flynn primary school parents and citizens association have gone to extraordinary lengths to find a workable and amicable solution based on a multi-use hub with a wide range of services managed through a community consortium. In the words of Roger Nicoll:
We were shocked to learn over the Anzac weekend that the Government appears to have turned its back on Flynn again and ignored the detailed plan for a sustainable community centre that has been worked up by our community over the past four years.
The people of Flynn have had a very tough time under this government, and it does not seem to be getting any better in the future.
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