Page 4372 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines, such as walking the dog or using public transport rather than taking the car to work. You may also be aware that draft variation 348 is being prepared and will incorporate six active living principles into the Territory Plan. This draft variation is supported by contemporary research on the benefits of good-quality public places and living infrastructure.
Research has shown the net positive impact of public realm improvements on existing retail performance, urban regeneration, tourism and property prices. This research found that well-planned improvements to public spaces can boost footfall traffic and trading by up to 40 per cent. It also found that in some places the provision of green spaces has led to rents increasing by up to 20 per cent and every one per cent increase in green spaces has led to a 0.3 to 0.5 per cent rise in average house prices.
DV 348 will not only help Canberrans meet the national physical activity guidelines on a regular basis but also encourage new developments and redevelopments to provide living infrastructure, making them more attractive to investors and the surrounding residents.
I welcome the joint review of the Territory Plan and TCCS’s infrastructure design standards to consider appropriate provisions to achieve tree canopy targets. This will ensure that the urban renewal precincts and other new subdivision areas can have sufficient tree canopies to help ameliorate urban heat island effects and enhance the amenity of these areas.
In closing, the government is acutely aware of the value of trees to both this generation and future generations of Canberrans. In this respect the government will need to consider how to fund the green infrastructure, particularly the existing and proposed new trees across the city. It is well known that these costs are high, but, as I have identified, so are the benefits. In this respect we are currently undertaking a number of actions as part of our planning work to address the ongoing importance of tree canopy and living infrastructure and celebrate Canberra as a garden city.
Amendment agreed to.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (5.30): I am very heartened by the unanimous support in this chamber for trees. I was confident there would be support for trees, and I am very pleased to hear it. Ms Lawder may well be right that it is one of the reasons we are the No 3 place to visit, especially in autumn, I would say. From that point of view, some of Canberra is absolutely glorious. I think that it is something that continues to be a combination of government and private actions.
I note Ms Lawder talked about Lindsay Pryor. There was a lot of work done in that time by the government to plant trees and then a lot of support given to the private sector in that. Yes, there are sometimes trade-offs between trees and solar access but it is really a question of good design and working out where to put everything. We can and must have trees and we can and must have adequate solar access. I am very pleased that the Assembly is standing up for trees today.
Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video