Page 2055 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 7 June 2017
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around the globe, how we manage urban renewal, improve economic prosperity, accommodate a changing community and build resilience to climate change will contribute to our successful future.
Encouraging innovation through the design of housing as well as the wider built environment is fundamental to this end. Demonstration precincts showcasing leading best practice can provide the community and industry with examples of how flexibility and innovation in planning can result in a more livable, sustainable community. I identified this as a key priority in my statement of planning intent in 2015.
When asked by Ms Le Couteur in March this year to identify some current demonstration precincts as described in my statement of planning intent—that was question No 122—the examples I identified were Kamberra on Federal, 595 Northbourne Avenue in Lyneham and the Dickson group centre working with local traders—and a shout out here to Jhay the Cobbler at Dickson. These examples illustrate the strong diversity of approaches available to government to partner with industry and the community to advance demonstration precincts. They have also demonstrated to me the value of early discussions and engagement with key stakeholders. My amendment proposes that engagement with the community and industry stakeholders happens now so that these discussions can focus on how best to deliver housing demonstration projects that promote best-practice environmental performance.
I am keen to frame the conversation with the community and industry stakeholders on this important matter. To my mind, the important issues to consider are excellence in construction and design quality, carbon neutral buildings, medium-density infill, innovative planning and engagement approaches, innovative housing products and topologies, close partnership with industry bodies and options for public and affordable housing as well.
I will now briefly describe why I identified these matters to be part of the conversation, although I expect other important matters will emerge through the discussion. Firstly, on excellence in construction and design quality, the ACT government showed its support for high quality construction in the budget announced yesterday by fully funding the improvement of the ACT building regulatory system reforms which I announced last year after consultation with the community and the industry.
I anticipate working with a wide range of industry members to make the most of these opportunities to lift the quality of construction in the ACT. I use the term “industry” broadly here because there are many people who can contribute to and benefit from working on a demonstration precinct and innovative housing models. This includes housing providers and managers, training providers, property practitioners such as valuers, conveyancers and facility and strata managers, product suppliers and people working in the construction, legal and financial sectors.
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