Page 3634 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MR WALL: Minister, when will you require that the early years framework be implemented so that Indigenous students attending Koori preschools do not start at a further disadvantage?
MS BERRY: As I have said, the ACT government is embarking on a conversation with the community in early childhood education and will be engaging with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to ensure that outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are improved and determine how we can build on the success of Koori preschools in providing expanded early childhood education for children in preschools.
ACTION bus service—route alterations
MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, in October this year, bus route No 5 will be cancelled and routes in that area altered. Bus route No 6 will not provide the same level of service or the number of stops. Minister, why are you cancelling the No 5 bus?
MS FITZHARRIS: In fact there will be increased services offered. I know that, in particular, for residents of Narrabundah, this will present a change. There is a significant amount of information available to residents of Narrabundah in order to understand the changes that will be happening. As we move towards a network that provides more frequent services for more Canberrans and better connections to more frequent services, we will see some changes to our routes. This is one that is being introduced in October. We are delighted that the new green rapid will now be in place, offering services every 15 minutes on weekdays, which will provide increased levels of service to residents right along that route, including in the inner south in particular, including in Narrabundah.
MS LEE: Minister, what consultations did you or your directorate undertake before cancelling the No 5 bus and what feedback have you had about the cancellation?
MS FITZHARRIS: Information is being made available to residents now. The change in the network will start in early October. We have had some feedback obviously from residents who have a change to their level of service. The effort now is to make them aware of the increased connections that they will be able to take, particularly through the introduction of the green rapid. There is an extensive amount of information available on the buses themselves and from the Transport Canberra website, and there is also ongoing engagement with local residents groups.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, how many people will now have to walk more than 500 metres to their nearest bus stop; if, in fact, there are more?
MS FITZHARRIS: I assume that Ms Le Couteur means on this particular route. I do not have those specific numbers at the moment. It would, of course, relate to where people are coming from and where they are going. It is important to note that there will still be services particularly to the Narrabundah shops and, of course, Winnunga Nimmityjah nearby there. There will also be increased levels of service available to people through the green rapid.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video