Page 317 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 December 2016
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Our vision and our focus should be on shaping that progressive city. This afternoon I want to take the opportunity to outline the next steps the government will take in turning the vision for Canberra that has been articulated in this statement of ambition into reality.
Humans shape the cities in which we live, but we are also shaped by them. Our living in our city affects us socially, practically, economically and psychologically, and defines our existence. We must, therefore, pursue this next stage in Canberra’s development from a people-focused perspective, founded on principles of good design and place making.
This also means starting by questioning what sort of community we want, what sort of community we need to be and what sort of lifestyles Canberrans wish to lead. Building a great city demands collaborative effort. In Canberra, we are in the fortunate position of having land on which to build and the expertise to create genuinely exciting and productive buildings.
At the outset, though, it is obvious that the continuing transformation of our city at its heart and in new suburbs will be successful and sustainable only if it is achieved through genuine engagement with all Canberrans and where the process is completed with them rather than to them.
The step change I am outlining today will position the ACT public sector to work collaboratively with the community and draw in national and global expertise. It will ensure we harness the unique character that allows Canberra to be a meeting place not just for government and governance but also for the arts and cultural institutions that hold our national identity and our local stories; for education; for science; for research; for industry; for innovation; as the centre of a region of trade, for commerce; and as home to nearly a million people. We will honour the heritage of the bush capital and the spirit of Griffin’s vision for the ideal city as we continue this next phase of development and growth.
Our challenge is not to let ourselves become a museum of the early 20th century’s conception of city life but, as was the case when Canberra was conceived, to aspire to be a showcase of how the people of this century want to live and want to work.
The parliamentary triangle will always define Canberra as the national capital, just as the national mall defines Washington DC. At the same time, the heart of a city of 400,000 people must be renewed and it must be reinvigorated.
The path to the Canberra of the future is marked out by transformational urban renewal and innovation, underpinned by the light rail network and the city to the lake vision, all founded on design excellence. This cannot be an exercise in the bland and boring building of “boxes”; it has to be about creating buildings that make statements about this city and excite interest in those living and working in them or just walking past them. They should be destinations as well as useful and modern spaces. They should be able to stand the test of time and have people still talking about them in 50 years.
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