Page 1970 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 June 2015
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given the commitment on Monday by the Liberals to duplicate Gundaroo Drive, he had not taken the time to sign the petition. That is disappointing. Mr Coe’s proposals are not only out of touch but I do not believe they represent what the Gungahlin community wants. The Gungahlin community wants to see duplication of Gundaroo and Horse Park drives get underway as soon as possible, and that is what this week’s budget delivers.
If the Canberra Liberals want to see a proper response to real community consultation, they should look no further than our budget and our commitments to roads and an integrated transport network. This budget has delivered for all Canberrans and it ensures that we will continue our strong investment in the territory’s transport future.
MR COE (Ginninderra) (3.24), in reply: I will wrap up debate on this very important motion, which is all about finally getting a common-sense approach to the delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the territory. We have waited a long time in the ACT for a government that actually responds to our growing city and to the real demands of people living here. Unfortunately, it seems we are going to have to wait until October next year for a government that genuinely prioritises Canberra families who live in suburbs right across the ACT in their efforts to get to and from wherever they need to go.
The motion the opposition have proudly put on the table for discussion today is about several very important road projects and public transport initiatives. The Canberra Liberals firmly believe the intersection with the Barton Highway, William Slim and Gundaroo drives warrants a flyover. In fact, that is what the government’s own report says. Despite what Ms Fitzharris might say, that she was the one who initiated this whole issue about Gundaroo Drive, the government a couple of years ago did a feasibility study into Gundaroo Drive. That feasibility study discusses the roundabout and clearly says that, at best, signalising the roundabout is a five to 10-year solution. What is required is a flyover. The Canberra Liberals are about long-term infrastructure for this city, and that is why we are proudly saying we would construct a flyover at that intersection, why we would treat the people of Gungahlin and northern Belconnen with some respect and give them the infrastructure they deserve.
The government’s solution—which they stuffed up, incidentally—is a solution they said would be for a $10 million roundabout upgrade. The tenders came in, and they were all near $10 million. The government said, “Actually, it probably should be $5 million, so we’ll put it out for tender again.” They put the companies that tendered to considerable expense in having to resubmit. That tender is now out apparently, and we are going to spend millions of dollars as a community on a project which is only a five or 10-year solution at best and which their own report says will lead to 316-second delays on the Barton Highway. That is the government’s solution. That is the option they went for.
There they are in cabinet and they get a proposal for upgrading the roundabout. There is option A and option B. Option A says you can signalise the roundabout. It will only be good for five or 10 years, will cost nearly $10 million and it will lead to 316-second delays. Option B says you can do the long term infrastructure that you are going to have to do anyway in five or 10 years time. You would think a forward-
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