Page 2413 - Week 08 - Thursday, 6 August 2015
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government update the Assembly on the outcomes of its revised focus at the start of the next school year.
Recommendation 138, traffic around Burgmann Anglican School, is related to the previous recommendation. The committee also noted that the government should work closely with Burgmann Anglican School in Gungahlin regarding the issues relating to traffic and pedestrian safety around the school. I regularly travel past this school at drop-off and pick-up times and have witnessed the range of issues they face from its proximity to one of the major arterial roads in Gungahlin and the car park across the busy Valley Avenue. I hope that a suitable arrangement can be found soon.
On recommendation 137, Horse Park Drive, the committee explored the issue of road projects relating to land releases. The director-general said that capital works and procurement processes were becoming more integrated across government and cost savings had been seen. This was welcomed.
With regard to the planned suburb of Throsby in Gungahlin, the committee recommended that the government consider beginning the duplication of Horse Park Drive from Majura Parkway to Well Station Drive in conjunction with the duplication funded in this year’s budget between Well Station Drive and Anthony Rolfe Avenue. Notwithstanding that road projects are hugely expensive and must be graduated, it is hoped that efficiencies achieved by combining the projects will allow for the as yet unfunded segment to proceed sooner rather than later.
Recommendation 145 is on playground spaces. Last but not least I highlight this recommendation made by the committee for the government to engage with the community around playground spaces. Public spaces work best when there is community engagement and I hope that this recommendation will encourage a conversation about how we can develop these playgrounds in more innovative ways. We could look at community involvement in the maintenance and possibly the funding of these spaces and new natural playground looks.
As I mentioned at the outset there are 148 recommendations made by the committee and many of these recommendations contain sensible suggestions that complement the existing budget. They touch upon some important economic development issues such as digital investment and serious social issues such as funding for domestic violence victims support.
I commend the budget and hope that some of the recommendations contained in this report are able to be incorporated into future government policy planning and funding and I look forward to the response next week and to the subsequent following debate. Again, I would like to thank my colleagues, all ministers, public servants, and the work of the committee secretariat in this endeavour.
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (10.47): I would like to express at the outset my thanks to my fellow members of the committee. I start by acknowledging the chair, Mr Brendan Smyth. I was fortunate to benefit from his long-term knowledge of the budget process and long-term service over many years on estimates committees. Thank you also to Ms Meegan Fitzharris and Dr Bourke for their consideration and
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