Page 1194 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 2013

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Just before I conclude, I want to make special mention of the early morning cleaners at the Calwell shops that I see regularly on my early morning walks. They are always very cheerful and do a thorough job there. They are very good.

In closing, I strongly refute the motion by Mrs Jones. I am proud of the program being delivered by the government, especially that by TAMS, and will not be supporting the motion.

MRS JONES (Molonglo) (6.43), in reply: In closing, I think there is more that can be done. Although there is obviously a program of upgrades going on, there are still communities who are hurting because their local shops are not up to scratch. I really would like to see some change in this area, perhaps some more notification to people about where the shopping centre is on the list for upgrades. I will make further representations to the minister over time about this.

The issue of no shops in Amaroo has not been dealt with at all, and that is still just an empty paddock that is used for I do not know what. And the concern from local people there is that Bonner has had a shopping centre built in the time that their paddock has stayed empty and they still have nowhere to walk to.

My greatest concern, and the thing that sometimes drives me with these things, is—and this was so when I had my babies and I was at home—there is a real need for women to be able to go somewhere locally and to have some community. If there is no scout hall, if there is no shopping centre, if there is no place of meeting where you can run into other people and have a conversation, if there is not a positive place where you do not feel like you are going to have something go wrong to you, then that is an amenity that is really lacking. The newer suburbs of the ACT deserve to have the same treatment as the older suburbs, and the older suburbs deserve to have their shopping centres well looked after.

So in closing, I urge the minister to pay particular attention to this program. I will continue to bring to the minister’s notice and the notice of the Assembly the things that are lacking, because we are the opposition and this is our role. We need to make sure that the concerns of the community are heard.

Question put:

That Mrs Jones’s motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

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