Page 2729 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 15 August 2017
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such as Haig Park, creating places that Canberrans will want to spend time in and that meet the needs of the community. The authority will work closely with stakeholders to develop events that highlight areas of the city, encouraging engagement with underutilised spaces, driving community and business activities in the area.
The renewal of these urban spaces also aims to improve community and business confidence in the local areas, with the potential to reduce the maintenance and insurance costs of unused spaces and to propel investment and create new job opportunities. The authority will actively engage with building owners in the city precinct to ensure delivery of cohesive renewal and maintenance works. The authority understands that, to achieve the best outcomes for the community, robust community and stakeholder engagement is essential. The government encourages all community members, businesses and property owners to continue their already active and very positive engagement and to continue to share their hopes and visions for our CBD.
I am delighted that a number of highly experienced board members have agreed to be part of the board and the process to lead the renewal of our city centre. The governing board includes professionals with expertise in urban design, architecture, town planning, sustainable development, affordable housing and community engagement. Working with the local community and businesses, the authority will rejuvenate and activate the central parts of Canberra, creating a precinct that is safe, that is attractive, that is lively but, most importantly, a place that is fun and an exciting place in which to live, explore and enjoy. I commend this appropriation to the Assembly.
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (5.37): I rise today to speak about the appropriation of funds for the City Renewal Authority in this budget. The new City Renewal Authority oversees the revitalisation of areas of Canberra that the Chief Minister has deemed worthy of revitalisation. A month out from the 2016 election the government announced it would divide the work of the LDA between two ACT public sector delivery entities, one focusing on leading and facilitating the redevelopment of Civic and the Northbourne Avenue corridor to be called the City Renewal Authority and the other dedicated to developing new suburbs, the Suburban Land Agency.
My colleague Mr Coe and I have spoken considerably here in the Assembly on the integrity issues of the LDA, including the Auditor-General’s report, and I will not spend my time today talking about that. I would like to remind the government of the importance of communication and consultation with the community, which appears to be a particular issue in planning infrastructure and development.
The introduction of the CRA is an opportunity for the government to correct the issues that the LDA faced. It is a good opportunity to focus the government’s attention on the revamping of our city centre. The City Renewal Authority will be responsible for leading and managing urban renewal works in declared urban renewal precincts, the first of which has been declared, encompassing Civic, Northbourne Avenue corridor, Haig Park and the West Basin city to the lake project.
In 2013 the government undertook a consultation on the city to the lake project that included a new stadium, a new 50-metre pool, apartments along the lake and the much-needed new convention centre. However, as time goes on, the current city to the
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