Page 5201 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
broad range of swimming pools and aquatic facilities needed in Gungahlin in the longer term.”.
Mr Speaker, the Greens will be supporting the government’s amendment to the motion. Of course, I commend my additional amendment to the Assembly. In conclusion, what the Greens want is the best outcome for the people of Gungahlin. If that requires some finetuning of the election promise, then that could well be the best result.
MR COE (Ginninderra) (5.11): I am afraid it is issues like this which make so many Canberrans cynical about what happens in this place and why so many people in Canberra are cynical about why we have self-government. When it comes down to it, when you have a government that is elected on a platform to build a 50-metre swimming pool and then it hides behind consultation, feasibility studies and everything under the sun, that is why so many people think that this place is a waste of time. It is disappointing because this place could be effective. This place could concentrate on the things that matter. Instead, we get sidetracked by petty issues. The government is not willing to take a stand. It is not actually willing to stand up for what it said during an election campaign.
The government promised a 50-metre pool and they should deliver on it. If not, they should explain to the people of Gungahlin, who are already getting a raw deal, exactly why they are not getting the pool which the government promised prior to the election. Unfortunately, this is just one issue amongst many others on which the good people of Gungahlin get a raw deal. As the only resident in this place who lives in Gungahlin, I am very much aware of the issues that people in Gungahlin face—whether it be the debacle that we saw late last year and early this year over Well Station Drive or the debacle over the Gungahlin shopfront, which is still missing in action. Again, we have got feasibility studies, consultations, a design stage and forward plans. We have got everything under the sun, except the actual shopfront.
Then, of course, there are the ongoing employment issues. This government has not supported the placement of an ACT government agency out in Gungahlin. There is the Gungahlin Drive extension issue, which is very well documented in the Hansard of this place and which has very much scarred the people of Gungahlin for a very long time. There are the ongoing issues with public transport and the Redex service, which of course is not an express service. It is really just “red”, and even then it is not that red either—this rapid transport system which rumour has it is actually going to be renamed at the next network change anyway.
We have got a lack of sporting facilities. We have got Gundaroo Road, which is a nightmare in the mornings, especially at the Barton Highway roundabout. William Slim, one of the key access roads, is also struggling. We have had the Gungahlin Drive extension bridge collapse, yet another capital works disaster of this government. We have got surging house and land prices where you are paying a fortune to get a small block with very few services around it. In addition to that, we have got the ongoing planning issue at the Gungahlin shops and the fact that we have very narrow streets. We have a lack of footpaths. We have a real lack of core urban infrastructure, not to mention deteriorating amenity as well.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video