Page 2869 - Week 08 - Thursday, 17 August 2017
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I was also invited to visit the Westhoven Street playground in the same suburb, which lacks sun protection. When I wrote to Ms Fitzharris regarding this issue, the minister responded that tree planting to provide shade had “been determined unsuitable at this location”. And on the option of shade sails, the minister merely noted that the next opportunity to consider shade structures for playgrounds would be the 2018-19 budget process, the outcome of which, of course, could not be guaranteed.
Madam Acting Speaker, the residents of the Ginninderra electorate take pride in improving and maintaining their neighbourhoods. They are active in voicing their concerns and needs when it comes to ensuring that their suburbs are clean, safe and welcoming for everyone who visits or resides there. Community activism should be appreciated, and we should encourage all Canberrans to come forward with the valuable feedback that they have and contribute to bettering our streets and suburbs.
Today, more than 200 Canberrans in my electorate share their input with the Assembly. They are alerting you to the urgent need to provide upgrades to these two playgrounds in Higgins—not maybe in next year’s budget, and not at some vague point in the future either. These residents are tired of the general shabbiness that has resulted across this territory as a consequence of this government’s chronic neglect of basic maintenance and urban services, and they are specifically frustrated with the state of their suburb and its playgrounds. I share their frustration and am honoured to bring their voices into the chamber this morning.
Madam Acting Speaker, these Canberra families ask for a working bubbler, park benches, climbing frames and slides for the playground located along Hudson Street in Higgins, as well as a shade sail for the playground located along Westhoven Street in the same suburb. They also petition the government to maintain the other playgrounds in Higgins, a request so self-evident that it should never need to be made. I commend this petition, with its 203 signatures, to the Assembly.
Outlaw motorcycle gangs
Ministerial statement
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Urban Renewal) (10.07): Madam Acting Speaker, the following is the ACT government response to outlaw motorcycle gangs, OMCGs. The ACT government is committed to keeping Canberra safe. Our community is strong and resilient, and the vast majority of ACT residents are law abiding. But, like other cities in Australia and around the world, we are not immune to the presence and activities of people who operate outside the law.
Canberra remains a very safe city to live in, but the unlawful firearms activity and apparent escalation of violence linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs are of serious concern to the community, to ACT Policing and to this government. On behalf of the government, I rise today to condemn in the strongest possible terms the dangerous behaviour and criminal activity of outlaw motorcycle gangs. I rise today to assure the Canberra community and the Assembly that this government is committed to ensuring
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