Page 727 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 26 February 2013
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think it is pre-emptive to date, and the commission has itself said that it may well be revising its recommendations when it comes to its final report, but it would appear it has put on the public record that its recommendation will be for some level of price decrease. The government will support that.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, what are the arrangements for consultation with the community?
MR BARR: The report was obviously released today, at 11 am, for public consultation. I can advise the Assembly and, through the Assembly, the broader community that submissions can be made until 12 April this year. After these consultations are received and examined, a final report will be delivered in June 2013. The process is open for stakeholders, members of the community and Assembly members to have their say on water pricing. I certainly encourage everyone to contribute to the ICRC’s public consultation process.
Schools—Blue Gum School
MR SESELJA: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. The Blue Gum School in Hackett have been in contact for many months with officers from the ACT Property Group, seeking to lease unoccupied space adjacent to their school and they lodged their application to lease that space in February 2012. In January 2013, they were advised that the space was unavailable. Minister, why is the space unavailable?
MR RATTENBURY: The Blue Gum School has requested additional space be made available at Hackett Primary School. There is a space there that is unleased at the moment. Property Group are considering this request. They are considering it in the context of a significant list of requests for community space, particularly in the inner north of Canberra. This comes in the context of the fact that the current Downer hub will shortly be demolished or is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a new development on that site.
There are a number of tenants in that site, community and commercial tenants, who are looking for relocation. So in that context, Property Group are currently trying to balance the very significant demand for space in government assets amongst the various stakeholders and are weighing up the best use of space across government assets in both the inner north and in Canberra generally. Other groups such as Barnardos, Inanna and a range of other groups are currently also seeking space in the area.
I went last week to visit Blue Gum School to have a look at their request for space and also to have a better understanding of the school. I had a very interesting visit. I think they have an excellent educational facility there, and I have indicated to them that I have asked Property Group to have a further look at the request, particularly in light of the fact that, obviously, it is desirable for the school to not be split across different sites and there is an advantage for Blue Gum to access that particular space right next
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