Page 2071 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 15 May 2013
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(b) consistent with the Government’s ACT Planning Strategy, master plans will be prepared for group centres, key transport corridors and town centre precincts;
(c) as master plans are high level documents designed to set out objectives and strategies to manage development and change over time, it is appropriate to focus Government’s master planning on areas of significant change and growth; and
(d) Calwell, and other group centres, will be considered for inclusion in the next round of master planning activity.”.
I commend my amendment to the Assembly.
MR SESELJA (Brindabella) (5.08): I welcome the opportunity to speak today on behalf of the residents of Calwell and, indeed, south-east Tuggeranong. I thank Mr Wall for bringing this motion forward today. I thank him for the hard work he has been doing on behalf of the community of Tuggeranong and south Woden, particularly in this case in taking up the issue for the people of south-east Tuggeranong. Calwell and the surrounding areas have always been an important focus for the Canberra Liberals. We believe that the outer suburbs of Canberra often do get left behind. The community in Calwell have been calling out for something to be done in terms of their local group centre, so this is an important motion for us to be debating and I wholeheartedly welcome it.
I also acknowledge the work that Mr Smyth has done in this area in the past. In 2011 Mr Smyth introduced a motion which noted that there should be a master planning process for Calwell, including planning for new retail and commercial developments to enhance retail trade, specifying land which could be used for additional residential purposes and for new commercial activities, enhancing the link between the Tuggeranong Homestead and the Calwell precinct, enhancing the link between the ambulance station and the Calwell retail precinct, improving amenities for users of public transport and taxis, installing and upgrading lighting and security cameras to enhance security and safety, installing more pedestrian crossings and upgrading signage around the precinct. The motion called on the government to establish a master plan for the area. The motion also addressed the community’s concerns in relation to an alternative pool site, park and ride facilities, improving parking conditions and providing bus shelters and paths.
The government's response, an ongoing response to citizens’ concerns, was articulated in the Chronicle, which stated:
… the ACT chief minister confirmed the area was not a planning priority for the government.
A letter from Ms Gallagher to the Tuggeranong Community Council states that residents concerns about the group centre could be addressed without the need for a master plan and “further land use planning within the group centre is not considered warranted at this time”.
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