Page 188 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 11 February 2015
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I would also like to talk about the Gungahlin cinema, something that people in the local community told me they would really like to see locally in 2012, which is why I campaigned very hard for the ACT government to release land for this project. It is one missing piece of the puzzle. I thank the Chief Minister very much, in his capacity as Minister for Economic Development, for listening to that feedback and for releasing land for that project in 2012.
The Barr Labor government is undertaking a process of renewal and investment in our suburbs. No policy better outlines the government’s commitment to jobs, infrastructure, growth and renewal in Gungahlin than the capital metro project. As a member of the Assembly that commutes daily from Gungahlin I have seen the congestion along Flemington Road and Northbourne Avenue. With Gungahlin’s population continuing to grow, I am glad that Mr Corbell and Chief Minister Barr are seriously looking towards the future of transport in Canberra with investments in light rail.
Doing nothing is not an option for people who have to commute along Northbourne Avenue every morning and evening. Buses provide some temporary respite but not permanent relief. We need a way that takes vehicles off Northbourne Avenue so that Gungahlin residents can commute to work quickly while also reducing car dependency. Not every Gungahlin resident can easily commute using Gungahlin Drive and Majura Road and I am proud to stand up and support the benefits this will have for Gungahlin and argue against the short-sighted opposition to this essential investment.
On the topic of investments, I am also pleased by the attention Gungahlin has received in recent territory budgets. It shows that the ACT government recognises the need to invest in infrastructure to renew our suburbs. We will get the balance right in our transport infrastructure mix for public and private transport. A $10 million investment over three years for the William Slim Drive and Barton Highway intersection will see signalisation installed for that roundabout and additional lanes. I know that this is very welcome for the people who live in Gungahlin and in Belconnen and who drive on this road every day.
An $11.5 million investment to extend Horse Park Drive to Mirrabei Drive in north Gungahlin will complete this key arterial road. It is great for those residents of northern Gungahlin that they can now travel easily across the top of the region. In addition $24 million has been spent to extend Horse Park Drive from Amaroo to Moncrieff and on installing and upgrading floodways and stormwater basins in Kenny.
Additional expenditure includes $6 million to construct a water quality control pond to treat urban stormwater runoff from Jacka and Taylor; $1 million on road design in Throsby to facilitate land release and development; $5.3 million over three years to upgrade the Horse Park Drive and Anthony Rolfe Avenue intersection and to install services infrastructure in this area; and $462,000 to extend the Gungaderra grasslands and Mulangarri nature reserve, vital environmental investments.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a new community recreation irrigated park in Franklin, with $500,000 being committed to the development of this park adjacent to the
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