Page 3316 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 September 2015
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MR CORBELL: Obviously, with significant population growth in the inner north of Canberra and in Gungahlin, and with better investment in public transport, we know there is a clear correlation with improved active lifestyles and improved incidental exercise associated with walking, cycling and more healthy, active lifestyle choices. This is critically important.
Those opposite should be paying attention to what their new Prime Minister is saying, talking about the importance of public transport in cities, talking about the importance of active lifestyles and more vibrant communities which are walkable, which are cyclable, which are livable. That comes about from investment in good public transport infrastructure, whether it is better bus services, whether it is light rail services or whether it is a range of other responses like park and ride, better cycling facilities or better pedestrian facilities. All these things encourage more people to walk or cycle as part of their everyday journey. Better connectivity and accessibility mean better and more active lifestyles.
Those opposite want to lock this city into car dependence. They want to lock this city into having to buy more and more cars to get around every day, increase congestion on roads and reduce people’s capacity to walk and to cycle. That is their vision for our city, but it is a short-sighted vision. It is a short-sighted view that even the new Prime Minister is rejecting. Even Malcolm Turnbull understands the importance of this reform. Those opposite would do well to pay attention to their federal leader on these important issues. (Time expired.)
Transport—light rail
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Capital Metro. Minister, in the full business case, $381 million of benefits are attributed to the capital metro project by way of land use. These land use benefits primarily come from the development of Northbourne Avenue, which is contingent on the removal of public housing properties from Northbourne Avenue. Two weeks ago, the ACT Heritage Council provisionally listed 17 of the 62 public housing properties, meaning that they will not be able to be redeveloped. Minister, what number of public housing properties on Northbourne Avenue were slated for re-development in the capital metro full business case, which allowed $381 million worth of benefits to be calculated?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Coe for his question. His assumptions, though, are wrong. The benefits that accrue to land use activity across the corridor accrue across the corridor as a whole. They do not simply accrue to ACT Housing properties along Northbourne Avenue. They accrue across the corridor as a whole, and those are the assumptions built into the business case. So his assumptions and his assertions around the business case in this respect, as they have been on so many other issues, are simply wrong.
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Coe—and I would like to hear it.
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