Page 2257 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
There has been significant consultation with younger people in Canberra, most particularly through the skating constituency. I would expect that that particular process will inform decisions taken at Belconnen. But it is a different location. I have had it explained to me that we cannot simply transport the design from Woden to Belconnen because of the topography, because of the location. There will certainly be a further round of targeted consultation, broader community consultation, in relation to the design of the skate park.
I can assure you, Ms Hunter, that there will be appropriate consultation with the specific skate park younger community and with the broader community, accepting that this is a very significant part of the Ginninderra foreshore. The government has been investing heavily in the Lake Ginninderra foreshore in recent years, with just on a $1 million upgrade of the foreshore area running from the skate park towards the Belconnen Arts Centre. Indeed, there is a very significant investment of over $8 million in the arts centre and adjacent to the arts centre, in the inlet between the arts centre and the water police station, an investment of somewhere in the order of $7 million for a very significant upgrade of that particular part of the foreshore, enhancing the foreshore of Lake Ginninderra.
In addition to that, of course, we have invested some hundreds of thousands of dollars in new barbecue and playground facilities. Indeed, when one actually compares the level of investment that we have invested in Lake Ginninderra compared to the Liberals during their six years, I think you will find there was no investment by the Liberal Party in Lake Ginninderra in six long years. (Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter, a supplementary question?
MS HUNTER: Minister, you just responded that the broader skating community or skaters would be involved in the development. I am wondering whether you could let the Assembly know whether you will also be engaging with the wider youth community who still may want to use parts or have other parts added to that facility, such as there was at Woden with the half basketball court, and how this commitment to children being consulted fits in with your deleting consideration of children being put into safe school routes from our motion last month on active transport.
Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, before the minister responds, could I ask for your ruling on whether or not this is a reflection on a vote of the Assembly in a previous debate. If not, I am happy for it to proceed. But it just looked like it.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, I do not think that Ms Hunter is reflecting on a previous vote. I think she did have an excessively long preamble but your point of order is not upheld.
MR STANHOPE: Ms Hunter, I would simply make the point that the government consulted extensively on a very recent skate park, a state-of-the-art and perhaps the best and most advanced skate park in Australia now, according to conversations I have had with the skateboard associations representing organisations. I think if you visited it you would understand the quality and the significance of the skate park at Phillip.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video