Page 520 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: Let me think about that for a moment. I call the minister.
MR BARR: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Of course our investment in north Canberra is consistent with our approach to investing in Canberra more broadly. We are committed to policies and programs that create jobs, drive economic growth and allow our community to continue to receive the world-class services that they currently do. We do this because this ultimately determines the standard of living of our residents.
We have some pleasing data from the Property Council, of all places, in relation to their recent nation-wide survey which found Canberra to be Australia’s most liveable city. I am sure we all agree with that. We all agree with that, don’t we? It might be the one thing that you might get bipartisan or tripartisan support for in this place. That does not happen by accident and it is certainly the result of a considerable policy focus, particularly since self-government.
The government is pursuing a range of strategies to stimulate the economy, to boost confidence and to attract new investment into north Canberra and into Canberra more broadly, some of which include the business development strategy; the facilitation of investment attraction through the release of investment proposal guidelines; promotion of the new Canberra brand, CBR; leveraging our land advantage and infrastructure to transform parts of the city into more dense, dynamic and creative areas as preferred locations for people to work, live and visit; to grow our export capability, including partnering with our universities to support their growth and international outreach; hosting and facilitating major events for the city; and upgrading significant sports events and event infrastructure to allow us to continue to host those major events—all of which contribute to growth and jobs in our community. (Time expired.)
Planning—city plan
MR COE: My question is for the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, the strategic plan for the government’s city plan talks about 130 submissions, 1,110 exhibition comments, 500 stakeholder attendee meetings, 600 surveys and 10,000 open house exhibition attendees. However, in the Chief Minister’s message you noted that the strongest message from the government’s consultations was, “Just get on with it.” In response to this you have released a 15-year-plus plan to investigate a convention centre, aquatic centre and theatre. Chief Minister, why are the convention centre, aquatic centre and theatre not considered important enough infrastructure projects to pursue now?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mr Coe for the question. The city plan is essentially providing the overall spatial framework to guide the development of the city over the next 15 or so years. Anyone in this place would understand that the building up of all the significant infrastructure that will be required in the city will take place over a number of years.
In relation to the Australia forum, or the convention facility, that is a project I believe both sides of politics are pursuing at this point in time. We think it is a project we
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