Page 3724 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
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But it is the continued development and urban renewal that have created so much of the Canberra pride that we all feel in our second century. Dynamic new precincts like Braddon and New Acton have created the “hipster underbelly” that so impressed the New York Times recently. Areas like Belconnen are unrecognisable from the Belconnen that I knew as a young person moving around the city. With the renewal that is underway in Tuggeranong, I have no doubt that some of those changes that we have seen in Belconnen will be replicated down south.
Canberra is a city that has traditionally relied on the car, with much of our transport infrastructure funding being funnelled into new roads to meet the suburban growth of our city—indeed, around $1 billion over the last 10 years. Transport is an area of priority for this government. We want ours to be a city that is easy to move around. It is good for business and good for livability. Buses and bikes form part of this transport plan, and so do cars. New infrastructure—like the Majura parkway, which is almost complete—is an important part of this overall transport strategy.
The government is investing in an integrated transport system designed to give Canberrans transport choice. Better bus services are part of it, as well as more bike-and-rides and cycle paths, more park-and-rides, better pedestrian facilities, investment in roads and land use change that supports an active transport system.
Capital metro forms a part of this integrated transport network. We know that it is the most appropriate form of transport for the Gungahlin-to-city corridor should we want to be bringing around the urban renewal that will occur around that tram line. We know it will bring enormous transport benefits, particularly to commuters from Gungahlin who would otherwise, based on very detailed evidence, spend two hours a day in the car by 2031. But what is really exciting about the project is the urban renewal we know it will stimulate. Addressing congestion is just one of the benefits, but the economic and social benefits are also present.
When we look at Belconnen we can already see an example of how transport, other government infrastructure and the private sector can come together with what has been achieved over recent years in that town centre. As I have said before, Belconnen is almost unrecognisable from the Belco of 10 or even five years ago. The new health centre, the bus interchange and the revamped shopping mall have all created a dynamic new hub. Nearer the lake, the combination of a bus interchange, high-rise developments and greater urban density have created a new livable corner of the town centre. This shows how, when government infrastructure is carefully targeted, it can promote and complement commercial activity and livability.
The University of Canberra public hospital is another multi-dimensional project being delivered by the government. We need another hospital, and building it will create jobs. We could build this anywhere, but by building it at the University of Canberra we also created a new opportunity for the university to grow. An on-campus hospital gives a university a competitive edge, and this is well known amongst the universities that have university hospitals right around the world. It attracts more students and researchers, which in turn creates jobs and economic activity beyond the campus. This shows how, again, when carefully considered and with careful targeting, our own
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