Page 4605 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 19 October 2011
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services to the community; that meet our responsibility to the environment and to our greenhouse gas reduction targets; and, importantly, that deliver the most financially and environmentally responsible option for the budget and for the territory’s taxpayers. These principles underpin the government’s office accommodation strategy. And they apply to the Gungahlin office accommodation, which, as I have said on a number of occasions, is the government’s immediate priority.
An office building is an important development for the Gungahlin town centre. It will be important in the development of that town centre, important for the people of Gungahlin. It will bring new employment opportunities to the district. It will bring more people and more activity to the Gungahlin town centre. And it will increase the patronage of the businesses and services that are already on offer in that growing centre. Also, importantly, it will act as a catalyst for more developments in the centre, more opportunities for small business to take advantage of the increased activity. It will create options for the people of Gungahlin to work closer to where they live.
A registration of interest process will commence shortly, in parallel with the feasibility study that is currently underway for the Gungahlin office block. The registration of interest process will allow organisations interested in providing accommodation in Gungahlin an opportunity to be part of the procurement process. It is anticipated that construction can begin on the Gungahlin office block in calendar year 2012.
An office block in the Gungahlin town centre will be the first step in realising the government’s accommodation strategy. The government is committed to that strategy to support its public servants and to house them in appropriate accommodation.
As I said at the outset, the government will not be supporting Mr Seselja’s motion today. We went through this debate only about eight weeks ago. We will not be supporting the Canberra Liberals’ disregard for the ACT public service. However, we will continue to support the motion that was passed in this place only a matter of two months ago, and that remains the government’s position—the priority being the delivery of the Gungahlin office block.
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (10.22): The Greens also will not be supporting this motion. Basically it comes under the category of tedious repetition. We have already had this. As Mr Barr said, we already had this debate a couple of months ago.
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Coe!
MS LE COUTEUR: That having been said, most of the points which Mr Seselja notes in the motion are uncontroversial. The government has got plans to spend money on office building and the Chief Planner did make some statements—
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MS LE COUTEUR: Mr Seselja, I have got my copy of the Chronicle, so I have read them.
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