Page 4314 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017
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work in the tourism portfolio, in partnership with the local tourism industry, we have seen record levels of investment into the territory tourism economy. The ACT government has played its part through the investment in new tourism infrastructure and new attractions and in supporting our tourism industry, including better transport connections to Canberra. It is great to see that independent recognition from an organisation like Lonely Planet. I think this will be a very significant step forward towards our city’s tourism 2020 goals that we are already on track to achieve.
I want to spend a moment now focusing on my own electorate of Kurrajong, where the government’s progressive agenda is being delivered. We have established the City Renewal Authority to create a city centre we can all be proud of, a city centre befitting Australia’s capital city, and, indeed, a city that is going to have a significant increase in both national and international visitors through 2018. Through government investment in Haig Park, in better public transport, in city centre upkeep and maintenance, and through the preservation and enhancement of heritage buildings within the city precinct, we are seeing significant private sector engagement with the government’s renewal agenda for Canberra.
We are helping people get around the inner city through opening a new public transport interchange in Dickson, introducing the new green rapid bus service through the inner south to the city, and numerous upgrades to walking and cycling infrastructure in the inner south and the inner north of the city. We are improving public amenity through providing bike racks in Braddon. The first stage of the West Basin parks and boardwalk will be open early in 2018, and new nature play spaces will be delivered in Barton and O’Connor that bring the bush to our inner city suburbs. Kurrajong, the heart of Canberra, is one example of the government’s positive and progressive agenda. We will continue to shape our city as we grow, meeting the election commitments that we took to the 2016 election.
I note that there has been some commentary in recent times in relation to election commitments and whether the government should have a secret agenda broader than the election commitments that we took forward. The government’s values are very clear: this is a progressive government that will continue to implement the policies that we have taken to successive elections. The government is focused on transport improvements, health and education improvements, and investing in municipal and community services. The ACT government is unique in this country in that it provides both municipal and state level services.
We will continue to reform our taxation system in order to provide the stable revenue base needed to meet the annual, monthly, weekly and daily service needs of Canberrans as well as to invest in the infrastructure Australia’s fastest growing state or territory requires. That infrastructure investment is at all-time record levels and is rolling out right across the city in town centres, group centres, local shopping centres and the CBD. It is part of a transformative program for Canberra, an agenda that we have been progressively implementing over a number of years.
Today it has been internationally recognised just how much Canberra has changed. I give an assurance to everyone in this place that the government will stay the course on reform. We will continue to support the diversification of the territory’s economy.
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