Page 2564 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 9 August 2016
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As part of the 2016-17 budget the government will provide $350,000 for an analysis of how the ACT government is able to upgrade the current authoritative spatial database also known as the SDMS. SDMS holds over 40 statutory-required datasets including the territory plan, the digital cadastral database, place names management and the geodetic framework. The new system will support the emerging national standards in true 3D and 4D structures and datum modernisation and electronic planning submissions, also significantly reducing the cost of future programs through partnerships with the New South Wales government. The upgrade will rapidly advance the territory to the forefront in this field, increasing the territory’s and community’s location intelligence which is an essential element in planning for future development.
Following consultation earlier this year, the government is committed to delivering a vision for Northbourne Avenue. Over 100 people completed the city and gateway survey. Overwhelmingly, people wanted to ensure that this iconic feature of the Canberra landscape is enhanced through the greater connectivity between various centres along the corridor. The community also wants innovative, sustainable building design which contributes to the wider precinct. These views will be incorporated into the final plan, which we hope to release in the coming year.
I am pleased to say that the ACT now has a single conservation agency as of 1 July this year. Parks and Conservation Services joined its conservation colleagues in the Environment and Planning Directorate. This has brought together the science, policy, research and on-ground environmental work in a single directorate, strengthening the connections between these functions. This arrangement comes with some impressive statistics. The single conservation agency now manages over 70 per cent of land in the ACT. It is responsible for the maintenance of over $300 million in public assets, welcomes tens of thousands of people to the ACT’s amazing nature reserves each year and is responsible for the conservation of a number of threatened species. Combined with this, the agency also has responsibility for biosecurity, fire management, nature conservation policy and supporting an impressive number of environmental volunteer groups.
From last month the ACT also took stewardship of the Australian Alps. This amazing stretch of land covers over 1.6 million hectares of public land from the Alpine national park in Victoria to the Namadgi national park right here in the territory. This is a fantastic opportunity for ACT Parks and Conservation to work with the unique natural, cultural and recreational features of the Australian Alps national parks region. An example of the alps program was recently highlighted by recent assistance the ACT provided to our New South Wales parks colleagues to undertake the detailed analysis of wild horse populations within the Kosciuszko national park. This work informed the development of the park’s wild horse management plan which has direct relevance to our management of the Cotter catchment. The program, which rotates every three years, has proven to be hugely effective at not only managing this valuable resource but also strengthening ties between us, New South Wales and Victoria.
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