Page 3373 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 17 August 2010
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undertaken in Bunda Street is work that was funded quite deliberately as part of that package of works that the government is pursuing in order to lift the appearance, attractiveness and amenity of Civic.
I think none of us disagree that we do have quite a way to go to lift the level of the infrastructure here within the territory that befits a vibrant world city such as Canberra is. Ms Le Couteur, the government funded to a certain level works designed to lift the look and the feel, the physical appeal, of Bunda Street, and it is something that we are proposing to do throughout the whole of the city. It comes at significant cost. The current budget for the works in Bunda Street, accepting that it is just one side of the street, is somewhere in the order of $5 million.
In an ideal world, it would be nice to be able to do everything at once, but we simply cannot. It is that same issue, Ms Le Couteur, in relation to concerns you have raised about the work that has just been completed on London Circuit when you raise—and it is a reasonable question—“You’ve just resurfaced London Circuit and done some work on kerb and gutter; why didn’t you provide another bus lane?” or “Why didn’t you put a cycle path in?” It is because we had a budget and the works were essential infrastructure upgrade or maintenance of pavement. Every time we undertake a work such as that, of course it would be nice to think, “Oh, look, with an extra $5 million we could have put a bus lane around here” or “With an extra $2 million we could have put in a cycle lane.” In an ideal world, it would be nice to proceed on that basis and in that theory. But we have a very limited capacity to do everything at once.
The works in relation to London Circuit were around a desire to repair pavement—and they came at a cost, I think, of about $5 million. In Bunda Street we are seeking to restore the sidewalks, the pavements. But it does not preclude Bunda Street, as we progress with the upgrading, revitalisation and completion of Civic, making some of these places more commuter and cyclist friendly. So I do not believe it is exclusive, Ms Le Couteur. You might say that there is some opportunity cost; but there is an opportunity cost too in diverting resources that are currently being applied to some other project to Bunda Street or to London Circuit. What other project, for instance?
This is part and parcel of the divvying up of the budget pie. Yes, let us say we devote another $5 million to Bunda Street. Which project should we have cancelled elsewhere in Canberra to achieve that outcome? I can always answer, in a nice, easy, simplistic way, Ms Le Couteur, “Yes, we could have found another $3 million.” But, Ms Le Couteur, it would have been at the expense of some of the projects somewhere else in Canberra or indeed even in Civic.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Le Couteur, a supplementary question?
MS LE COUTEUR: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, what is the government’s position on the Civic cycle loop, which was recommended as priority infrastructure by the Cardno report?
MR STANHOPE: Ms Le Couteur, I will take the question on notice, but I just signal that I am not quite up to date with exactly the final thinking in relation to the greater Civic action plan, which we are seeking to finalise now, as soon as we can, to guide
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