Page 217 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 December 2016
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We have committed to building a new centre to provide health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the ACT and region, through the design and build of a modern, fit-for-purpose health clinic for Winnunga. We will also provide in this financial year a one-off capital grant for the establishment of a neuromoves program in the ACT, and we have committed to providing funding support to the Stroke Foundation to employ a coordinator to support stroke survivors in the ACT.
We have a long and enduring partnership with Calvary Public Hospital, and the government will work with Calvary to conduct the scoping study for longer term, new and expanded north side hospital facilities. The government has also committed to providing additional funding to support health research. This will be in addition to funds already committed in the last budget to establish a new clinical genomic service.
With the range of initiatives I have just described, I am confident that the healthcare needs of the Canberra community and the surrounding region will be met.
Transport Canberra and City Services provides essential services that Canberrans rely upon every day. We have exciting plans to continue the delivery of important services and projects and embark on new ones essential to the amenity and functioning of our city as it grows. Firstly there is our plan for a more integrated public transport network. My priority is for more people to walk or cycle or use public transport to get around our city. We will expand and improve services, provide better access to real-time information; we will partner for innovation and find new ways for people to have more choice in using transport. The new city loop and Nightrider services show how it can be done.
Light rail stage 1 is now well underway. As part of a fully integrated public transport system, this will mean customers will have one ticket, one fare and be able to transfer between light rail and buses, as well as a growing cycling and walking network. Canberra has voted for light rail, for a city-wide light rail network, and we will deliver it. Construction is already underway and progressing well.
We have also begun preliminary project definition work for light rail stage 2 from Civic to Woden, which will see a contract signed in this term of government for construction. Stage 2 of light rail will deliver a 23-kilometre north-south spine of light rail as the start of this city-wide network. This is a significant city-shaping project that delivers economic, social, transport and environmental benefits for our city. It is absolutely clear that light rail is part of our city’s future.
I welcome scrutiny and debate on the project but, for those that seek to continue to oppose the project, I encourage you to reflect on the national debate about the implications of short-term thinking on infrastructure. Residents, visitors and businesses in cities across Australia are suffering because previous governments did not have the vision or courage to deliver infrastructure
In addition, new rapid bus routes will be added next year, from Woden to the city via Manuka and Barton, and from Belconnen to Gungahlin. To encourage patronage the first two months of these services will be free. From January next year, Transport
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