Page 5090 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 26 October 2011
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The Gungahlin Community Council have, for many years, raised their concerns about the inadequacies in road, parking and transport infrastructure in and around Gungahlin town centre and Yerrabi. The council has also given a voice to residents, conducted numerous forums and navigated as best they could through the maze of countless government studies and proposals regarding traffic and parking in the town centre.
Further to all these issues, the saga about employment opportunities has been dragging on for way too long. The Canberra Liberals think that Gungahlin needs more employment at the town centre and it is disappointing that the government is so unwilling to push this issue along. At the time of the 2008 town centre planning study, this issue of increasing employment opportunities at Gungahlin town centre was at the forefront of items on the residents’ wish list, yet we have seen very little from this government in response.
My motion also talks about the chronic shortage of car parking at Yerrabi. This part of the Gungahlin district is a prime location for boutique or specialised businesses, yet trade there is hampered by a lack of parking. The area also features considerable medium-density housing, but the housing does not have adequate parking, nor is there a reasonable bus service for the residents.
I think we need to give those who take business risks in Canberra every chance for success by not restricting their growth by a lack of infrastructure which could reasonably be expected. Yerrabi needs more parking, and I hope the government is able to look at ways of constructing more parks, perhaps through on-street parallel or angle parking.
In conclusion, I would urge the government to take heed of this motion and stop just paying lip-service to the population of Gungahlin. I ask the government to investigate alternative arrangements for bus traffic in the town centre; develop a plan to provide park-and-ride users with car parking away from prime retail parking; consider additional on-street car parking at Gungahlin Place; and provide additional car parking at Yerrabi.
I urge all members to stand up for the Gungahlin residents left behind by this government.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (8.05): The government has been working actively to further improve transport options for Gungahlin residents, particularly around the Gungahlin town centre. Public transport improvements at Gungahlin town centre are important to support the growth and economic vitality of Gungahlin. A feasibility study is currently nearing completion to upgrade the bus stations in Gungahlin town centre and to improve transport flow, access and amenity in the town centre.
Community input, along with technical studies, has been used to develop options to be considered for improvement. Options for bus stops that provide more effective
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