Page 3716 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Urban renewal does not require light rail. This is primarily a matter of planning policy, not transport policy. We have seen it with developments such as Space and Space 2, the Axis apartments, the IQ apartments being built, the Avenue and numerous other apartment buildings up and down Northbourne Avenue. The most under-utilised land on Northbourne Avenue is in fact the land held by the government. If the government want renewal on Northbourne Avenue they should sell the land and allow developers to build something. Instead this government, behind a smokescreen, and who committed to light rail simply to get Mr Rattenbury into cabinet, are trying to pretend that this is somehow some urban renewal policy, that this is somehow going to enliven Northbourne Avenue. If they want to enliven Northbourne Avenue they should sell some land and allow the private sector to develop those blocks.
Paragraph (2)(e) reads:
(e) the government has delivered successful urban renewal projects, including in Braddon, the Kingston Foreshore, Belconnen Town Centre, City West and New Acton, and these projects have delivered economic, social and environmental benefits to the Canberra community …
Isn’t it fascinating that they are spruiking the benefits of all these areas, yet none of them have light rail? None of them have light rail and none of them are planned to have light rail anytime soon. So how can it be, if you accept their argument that they need light rail to rejuvenate an area, that they can also brag about Braddon, the Kingston foreshore, the Belconnen town centre, City West and New Acton? If these areas all function without light rail then why can’t Northbourne Avenue, Gungahlin and the city too?
In paragraph (2)(f) Dr Bourke says:
(f) urban renewal and transport is supported by extensive master planning, including the recently completed master plans for Tuggeranong, Erindale, Weston Creek and Dickson …
Where was the light rail in the Tuggeranong master plan? Where was the light rail in the Weston Creek master plan? It seems to me that this government tend to pick and choose their arguments to support the individual circumstances as opposed to having a consistent case as to how and why they are going to develop the city with light rail. This government like to talk about master plans as if they will solve all the issues in town centres and group centres. However, master plans are only as good as their implementation and this government, as we all know, have a terrible track record when it comes to such implementation.
The government is becoming notorious for its glossy brochures and ambitious plans that never actually end up going anywhere. If members want to see master plans, all they need to do is visit the Assembly library where they will find development plans and master plans for many areas across Canberra. However, in so many cases the government commissioned a plan, went through a process of consultation with the community, produced a report and then nothing happened.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video