Page 976 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2016
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MR GENTLEMAN: I am pleased to table the government response to the A-G’s report Public transport: the frequent network. In light of the government’s new administrative arrangements that were announced in January this year, and in recognition of the importance of transport for this government, ministerial responsibilities have been shared between me, as Minister for Planning and Land Management responsible for strategic land use and transport planning, and Minister Fitzharris, as the Minister for Transport and Municipal Services responsible for public transport operations and roads. The minor delay in tabling the government response provided the opportunity for both ministers to inform the finalisation of the government response to the Auditor-General’s report which I have presented to the Assembly today.
The objective of the audit was to provide an independent opinion to the Legislative Assembly on the effectiveness of the delivery of the public transport frequent network. It examined arrangements involving the delivery of the frequent network, including supporting governance and administration, planning and review mechanisms. Transport for Canberra, which was released in 2012, establishes the frequent network as a series of rapid transit corridors and frequent local lines with fast, reliable public transport. The network is planned to be the backbone of Canberra’s integrated transport system which guides land use, planning and transport investment.
Since the release of transport for Canberra, the government has made significant investments in a range of transport infrastructure, including busway improvements, new park and ride and bike and ride facilities, active travel infrastructure, new ACTION networks and the private-public partnership with a world-class consortium, Canberra Metro, to deliver light rail for Canberra.
In addition, we undertake a number of surveys and data collection processes that provide important transport data, including road traffic volumes, bus patronage, bicycle counts, customer transport preferences and car travel time. We have also progressed our significant transport policy agenda with the release of parking and active travel strategies, as well as discussion papers for the light rail network, freight and low-emission vehicles.
Notwithstanding the significant work already completed on the provision of transport infrastructure and planning in the ACT, the government values the Auditor-General’s review on the frequent transport network and notes one of the recommendations and agrees with the remaining six, some of which are already taking place. In response to the Auditor-General’s recommendations regarding governance and administration, a whole-of-government transport coordination group of senior executives has already met to ensure that whole-of-government coordination is occurring. This group will be responsible for responding to many of the recommendations of the Auditor-General.
The establishment of transport Canberra in July this year will bring together ACTION, capital metro and Roads ACT into a new single public transport agency to provide a world-class transport system for Canberra that is integrated, convenient, reliable and efficient. It will meet the needs of our growing city, providing a transport system that offers a genuine alternative to driving, making Canberra an even more sustainable,
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