Page 3218 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 23 August 2017
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There is no question that everyone is keen to get to the implementation and delivery phase. People love the hi-vis jackets, turning the first sod with a special shovel and seeing cyclone fencing. It is an opportunity for a lovely photo opportunity for those opposite. But often we see they have not taken the time to get the planning right. What we then see, of course, are some really well-documented cost blowouts. If more planning had gone into these projects this may not have been the case. Just one amongst myriad examples to choose from may be the Gungahlin Drive extension. There were very well-publicised, huge cost blowouts. Other planning failures that we have seen more recently include the addition of what was already known to be inflammable cladding on the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children building. What we are seeing a lack of is the link between planning and delivery.
Another part of getting infrastructure planning and delivery right is consultation with the public. Working with others and a range of views, not just those who agree with you, will generally lead to a better outcome. There is no point surrounding yourself with what we may refer to as “yes men”, because you do not see an alternative view. You get a silo effect.
By engaging with communities and stakeholders in an open and meaningful way right from the start, we can better develop the evidence base, test ideas and challenge assumptions. The key here—I have spoken about it many times—is open and meaningful consultation, not secrecy. Access to information and making information readily available helps build understanding of the issues and opportunities. It brings people on board with projects. Having genuine and honest consultation gives transparency, builds trust in the work and, in turn, the decision.
Once again, I will give one example, that is, the proposal—the thought bubble at the time—of a new suburb of Thompson near the Tuggeranong town centre. There was a lack of consultation, a lack of planning. There was just an announcement on the spur of the moment. There was huge community backlash to that particular announcement. It demonstrates that this government is not consulting with people. The announcement of the proposed new suburb of Thompson had no connection whatsoever with the Tuggeranong town centre master plan, a process which had been gone through not all that long before. People rightly become suspicious of consultation processes if what happens during those processes is ignored and something else completely different comes along.
Madam Speaker, back in 2013 the government undertook a big consultation on the city to the lake project. It included a new stadium, a new 50-metre pool, apartments along the lake and a much-needed new convention centre. But as time has gone on, the city to the lake project is looking less and less like the one people were consulted on. We have seen in more recent times that the government has downgraded the 50-metre pool to a smaller leisure pool and city beach on the lakeside. In February of this year the Chief Minister shelved the convention centre and in March he backflipped on his promise of the new stadium.
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