Page 2101 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 6 August 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, what will the feasibility study review?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Berry for the supplementary. The feasibility study will review and advise on a range of issues. These include space and functional requirements for all the services—police, ambulance, fire and rescue, RFS and SES. It will also look at future requirements and demographic trends that will drive demand for service delivery. It will look at the capacity of the existing facility to meet requirements now and into the future. It will look at growth or expansion capacity within the existing JESC to meet future needs. It will assess alternative sites in Gungahlin for ACT Policing and/or the relevant emergency services. It will prepare a detailed report and business case for government consideration in future budget deliberations. The study will also look at issues such as the development of a functional design brief, site due diligence, concept designs and site massing studies, procurement and financial analysis, cost planning, risk and a risk report.
I think this is the right investment to make as we continue to work to meet the growing demand in the Gungahlin district. It is the fastest growing area of our city. It has seen very significant population growth over the last decade. That is expected to continue and we need to put in place the planning now to continue to meet that demand. This will certainly do that work for us to make future decisions in future budgets and to make sure that ACT Policing and all of our emergency services have the facilities they need to deliver their critical services to the Gungahlin community.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, when is the feasibility report expected to be completed?
MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for the supplementary. I am advised that the feasibility study will commence, subject to, of course, the passage of the budget, in the final quarter of this year and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2015. It is worth highlighting that the population of Gungahlin is forecast to expand to 90,000 residents by the year 2021, and this really does underpin why the government is making this investment now as we plan future capacity for the police and emergency services in Gungahlin.
Ms Gallagher: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answer to question without notice
Health—antenatal visits
MS GALLAGHER: Yesterday, Mrs Jones asked me about the National Health Performance Authority’s report Healthy communities: child and maternal health in 2009-2012. It related to why the ACT had one of the lowest attendance rates in the country for antenatal visits and the footnote relating to that around the data collection.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video