Page 2201 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2016
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On top of the Barr Labor government’s record investment in health, our investment in education of $70 million this year will benefit Canberrans across the education system, from expanded preschool facilities in Weetangera, Hawker, and Palmerston to new teaching spaces at Maribyrnong Primary School in Kaleen and $1.7 million in upgrades to CIT Bruce. That long-term investment shows that this government cares about the future of Canberra long beyond the immediate political cycle.
These investments in health and education are critical to building a strong economy and delivering sustainable growth in jobs and wages. Likewise, continuing to invest in transport infrastructure across Canberra will be critical to the strength of our economy. I am pleased that the recent ACT budget continues to invest in better roads for Canberra and I know that local residents in Belconnen and Gungahlin will see less congestion as a result of the duplication of Aikman Drive and Horse Park Drive.
I am sure that you will agree, Madam Deputy Speaker, that in order to keep our city the most livable in the world our government must also invest in integrated public transport infrastructure projects. One such significant infrastructure project is, of course, the light rail project. Through delivery of this project there exists an opportunity to create local jobs during construction and operation and build new capabilities and skills that will enable businesses in Canberra and the region to participate in the global supply chain for future light rail and infrastructure work.
The light rail project is expected to support more than 3½ thousand jobs during construction and many more permanent jobs into the future. The ACT government and Canberra Metro are committed to ensuring that as many Canberrans as possible can work on the first stage of light rail and experience the benefits that will flow from it. City-wide light rail will support more than just technical rail jobs. A large component of the work required will be in civil construction trades and this area will be a specific focus for local industry participants and activities.
Light rail is not just about the immediate construction jobs either. Light rail has led and will lead to thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment along the corridors through development of residential housing, businesses and urban spaces. By a factor of four to one, Canberrans have invested in homes in Gungahlin along the light rail route.
Although stage one of light rail will obviously directly benefit residents in Gungahlin and the inner north there will be benefits to the entire city even from just this first stage. Together with increased parking and reduced congestion in the city, the millions of bus kilometres that currently run along the Northbourne Avenue and Gungahlin routes will be reallocated to new suburban and direct routes. This means the entire city will get more bus services and increased frequency as a direct result of just this stage one of light rail. This is before we start on stage two and beyond, eventually connecting all the town centres to the system and linking the airport and Russell.
This project will see Canberra come of age. It is a visionary project that is worth every cent we spend on it and will pay for itself time and time again through investment and growth in our city.
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