Page 4217 - Week 13 - Thursday, 27 November 2014
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demographics of Tuggeranong have changed. It was not so long ago that once you reached a certain age you retired to the coast or to some other location.
Now people are actually moving back here as they get older. They have left and come back, perhaps to raise their families, and they bring their older relatives back to this city with them. Certainly all of these things are having an impact on the demographic profile of this city. We have, as I said, an ageing population in established suburbs but we do need to keep on not only adapting to suit the needs of older residents but also providing opportunity for younger residents.
Some established areas, particularly inner north and south, are experiencing urban renewal as additional households move into newly released and redeveloped housing stock as the city experiences urban infill and increased density. This can place additional demand on older utility infrastructure.
As the demographics of the ACT continue to change over time, provision will need to be made to allow for infrastructure to be flexible, providing for people at different stages of their life. Some of the major projects funded in the 2014-15 ACT budget that will boost our infrastructure program over the next four years include progressing the first stage of the capital metro light rail network, providing opportunities to renew and transform the Northbourne Avenue corridor—and I will talk a little more about that shortly—revitalising the city to Gungahlin corridor to ready the corridor for light rail, and progressing works associated with the city to the lake project to help realise the connection between the city centre and Lake Burley Griffin to create a vibrant, urban waterfront at West Basin.
The University of Canberra public hospital, when it is operational, will provide health services for our growing population and provide local training and research opportunities in health care. In education, a new school in the suburb of Coombs, the first school in the Molonglo valley region, will accommodate around 700 students from preschool to year 6. Of course numerous road infrastructure projects continue, including the construction of the Majura parkway and a link between the Majura parkway and Majura Road to serve the new developments, including IKEA.
In August 2014 the government launched a stimulus package which had these components: releasing at least four civil contracts for around $150 million worth of estate works in Moncrieff, changes to lease variation charges, and a reduction in the fees for extensions of time to commence and complete developments. These stimulus measures demonstrate that the government is listening to the local construction industry and developing reforms that will keep construction of new projects turning over while providing a buffer to the local economy through construction activity. While delivering the current program will be challenging, we are confident of success, based on our achievements to date.
Since 2010 the government has completed over 700 infrastructure projects through a whole-of-government capital works program. Combined, these projects were worth $1.6 billion. In addition, government-owned enterprises—Housing ACT, ACTEW Corporation, the Land Development Agency and the ACT Public Cemeteries Authority—have delivered infrastructure worth $1.1 billion over the same period.
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