Page 1272 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 29 March 2017

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I have had many conversations with the residents of Mawson, Holder, Chapman and Wright. Let me give some of the quotes from their emails. One is: “We feel very disrespected and disenfranchised by all involved from the Chief Minister down.” Another: “Firstly, we are deeply disappointed that the planning process has not engaged with all the stakeholders, including the local residents before the plans have been at what we understand from Weston Community Council to be at an advanced stage.” Another: “No amount of spin by the government can hide the truth that up to 30 townhouses will be built for ‘the most vulnerable residents in Canberra’ at the front of the ember zone in a bushfire prone zone.” And another: “We have serious concerns about traffic flow and also pedestrian safety from the Stapylton Street site.”

I have dozens of emails from residents who are dismayed by the original decision and even more dismayed by the lack of consultation. They are writing to us, and I understand that some of them are writing to those on the other side, because they can see that there is no point in engaging with the government. There is no point. They have identified that this government believes it is above its own processes and that community consultation will result in absolutely nothing. They know that the only way they can achieve a just result is to make enough noise in this space that it embarrasses and shames those opposite to the point where they cannot look at themselves in the mirror without changing it.

For me, it still goes back to the people who are being affected most by this shemozzle, the people who are seemingly not good enough for the Chief Minister’s light rail utopia, the people who are not invited to the coolest little capital party, the people who are reportedly suffering increased levels of stress and anxiety because of the way they are being treated by this government, a government that is prepared to waste a lot of time in this place by spruiking about federal issues and that does not have the decency to look after its most vulnerable residents.

Question put:

That the amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

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