Page 984 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2016
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Each year close to $50 million is expended on providing these services. And every day the wonderful staff in TAMS undertake a range of services, including street sweeping of some 15,000 kilometres of roads each year, replacement or repair of close to 5,000 road signs, resurfacing close to 700,000 square metres of road pavement, repairing over 4,000 potholes, and replacing over 18,400 square metres of damaged footpaths and cycle paths. I reiterate my comments about the incredible work that TAMS staff do around our city every day, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The Canberra Liberals’ constant refrain that our city is not up to their standard really does go to the heart of their disrespect for the hardworking TAMS staff.
Just last month I announced $1.5 million worth of upgrades to community footpaths and cycle paths, which will see 3.9 kilometres of new shared paths created, including more than 200 metres of path widening. We are working on ways to ensure our suburbs are more age friendly. Last week I was able to drop in to a consultation session in Kaleen, and it was great to see some of the practical things people are suggesting to help them stay active in their suburbs.
Further, the ACT government is currently undertaking several road upgrade projects to further improve safety and increase capacity. These include the Majura Parkway, a $288 million investment in our regional transport network, and the largest ever road infrastructure project in the ACT; duplicating Ashley Drive between Erindale Drive and Ellerston Avenue; duplicating Gungahlin Drive to provide an additional south-bound lane from north of Sandford Street through to the Barton Highway; upgrading the Barton Highway-Gundaroo Drive-William Slim Drive roundabout to provide an additional lane on all approaches; the duplication of Horse Park Drive getting underway under this Labor government, with stage 1 between Anthony Rolfe Avenue and Well Station Drive; and stage 1 of the duplication of Gundaroo Drive.
Another key focus of this ACT Labor government is improving our 89 local shopping centres. Mr Coe made a comment similar to one that one of his colleagues made recently that there are a number of press releases around shopping centre upgrades. Perhaps we need to do this to remind Mr Coe and the Canberra Liberals of the significant work this government has done in this term alone on local shopping centre upgrades. In this term we have upgraded Griffith, Theodore, Chapman, Farrer, Red Hill, Charnwood and Waramanga. Recently I announced works on shopping centres at Kambah, Cook and Rivett, with work set to commence on upgrades at other local shops soon, including Evatt, Florey, Hughes and Torrens, not to mention work to improve active travel access to our group centres, for example, Cooleman Court, which we discussed earlier this week. These projects collectively result in great improvements in amenity, public access, safety and security through a number of practical upgrades.
Mr Hinder will mention also the important work in TAMS that goes to maintaining our urban forest, maintaining our trees, mowing, and, of course, the wonderful libraries that are a key part of our community life.
I can think of no more important local service than our health and education systems. This is why this year we have invested a record $1.5 billion in our health system and
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