Page 1353 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
For instance, in 2006 the ACT and New South Wales governments signed the ACT-New South Wales Regional Management Framework. This framework agreement is based on a number of principles including the fostering of a closer working environment for the ACT and New South Wales governments and establishing adequate consultation and notification mechanisms for actions that may impact on different jurisdictions. Within that context, the ACT government and its officials meet with the New South Wales counterparts to progress particular issues. The New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet also has a place, with a regional coordinator located in Queanbeyan to assist with that process of facilitating contact between the two governments.
We have a long history of regular engagement with local governments throughout the capital region, the most notable example of course being the Regional Leaders Forum. The forum meets twice each year and brings together the mayors and general managers of the 17 local councils in the capital region, state and federal members of parliament with seats in the region, and representatives of the Regional Development Australia boards. The forum was previously co-chaired by both the ACT Chief Minister and the minister for regional development, and I am hoping that a similarly high level of engagement can be maintained with the new government.
The Regional Leaders Forum fosters goodwill and cooperation across the region, and provides a valuable opportunity for regional leaders to meet and share information about issues which affect our communities. The most recent meeting of the forum was held in Canberra on 13 August last year when the members agreed on the value of the forum as a mechanism for the development of the region and reaffirmed that their strong support would continue.
Another example of the goodwill and cooperation that has developed is the preparation of the State of the Environment Report by the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability in the Environment for each of the 17 councils in the Australian capital region and the commissioner indeed is a regular attendee at the Regional Leaders Forum. The ACT government is also working closely with academics from both the ANU and the University of Canberra following the establishment of Canberra Urban and Regional Futures, CURF, which is a platform for information sharing across organisations in the Canberra region.
The ACT government acknowledges the importance of research that focuses on our region, and work is currently underway within the Chief Minister’s Department to refine the concept of a regional demography for the ACT, which will include further research on the drivers of regional population growth and the impacts of that on service delivery. I also meet regularly with the Mayor of Queanbeyan, Tim Overall, to discuss specific issues affecting Canberra and Queanbeyan. We have developed a very good relationship over time, and even though there are issues on which we do not agree, most particularly for instance the Tralee development, we nevertheless work very constructively with the council and have for a number of years on issues around transport, road infrastructure and connections arising from proposed developments or development across the border.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video