Page 6004 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 2010
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(ii) Commonwealth Minister for Transport confirming the ACT’s strong opposition to the development; and
(b) for the establishment of a commission, with membership drawn from the ACT, NSW and the Commonwealth, to review planning, development, infrastructure links, transport options, settlement patterns, environmental impacts and sustainability in the ACT/Queanbeyan border region to ensure that cross-border planning is undertaken in an integrated and co-operative manner.
This motion today calls on the Assembly to communicate to the New South Wales and federal governments our clear opposition to the proposed residential development at south Tralee. The Greens have moved this motion today because we believe that building Tralee has the potential for significant detrimental impacts on the ACT and because we believe that not proceeding with the development at Tralee will avoid a number of problems in the future.
Firstly, residents at Tralee are likely to complain about aircraft noise as the development is under Canberra airport flight paths. Secondly, as authorities seek to deal with those concerns we believe there will be increased political pressure to share aircraft noise across Tuggeranong and southern Canberra. Thirdly, a residential development right next door to the industrial zone at Hume we believe does not seem a particularly prudent thing to pursue.
We know that there has been a long history of concerns raised about this project and that a range of organisations have put that case to the developers, to the Queanbeyan City Council and to the state government—everyone from the Tuggeranong Community Council to the federal government. We think that this Assembly should strongly add their voice to these organisations.
I should acknowledge that there are community groups who are in favour of the development proceeding. For example, the Jerrabomberra Residents Association are keen to see Tralee develop, as a way to build a case for better infrastructure for the residents of Jerrabomberra: more people, better infrastructure for everyone. We do not disagree with their case for better community infrastructure. We just do not believe that building a suburb in a high aircraft noise zone is the way to go about it.
Indeed, the Jerrabomberra Residents Association was one of a number of community groups who are part of the Curfew for Canberra group calling for an 11 pm to 6 am curfew at Canberra airport, so I think we can assume that they are not that enamoured of the idea of having aircraft noise over either themselves or the prospective residents of south Tralee.
So it is time for the New South Wales government to take the concerns of the ACT and ACT residents seriously but, just as importantly, to consider the needs of the future residents of Tralee, who should not be seduced into buying into this development with promises that it will all be okay, that aircraft noise is exaggerated, or with empty promises that it can all be changed in the future.
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