Page 117 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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rezoning and redevelopment, but that there are tangible reforms worth considering, particularly around the timing of the payment. I understand that the government’s thinking on this is well advanced. I would certainly welcome reforms that can make a difference in places like Woden.
We as a government will continue to invest in and put in place the tangible measures that support investment in Woden, and I will continue to be a strong advocate for the Woden community to support urban regeneration in our town centre. Woden residents can look forward to the future with optimism, because we are already seeing the green shoots of the renewal occurring. Our government is focused. We have a master plan in place for the town centre and we are committed to implementing urban renewal in the town centre and investing in city building infrastructure like light rail. Confidence will only continue to build in our town centre as a result.
I am sorry to Ms Le Couteur that I cannot support this motion without amendments, particularly the Oprah Winfrey section of: “You’ve got a precinct! You’ve got a precinct! You’ve got a precinct!” I think, as a member for Murrumbidgee, that in order to get the focus into Woden we cannot turn the entirety of Canberra into an urban renewal precinct. I think that this motion, as it stands, lacks focus on the specific policy measures that will actually deliver the vision for Woden town centre. I have mentioned what some of those measures could be today. I look forward to any amendments that may be brought forward to the motion.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the planning and urban renewal committee, who inquired into Territory Plan variation 344, and for their recommendations. I think that it does reflect a level of deep thinking, but I do not believe that this motion reflects that thinking.
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (10.45): I am not going to talk about our planning vision for Woden and the other town centres; I am just going to address the motion. What we see here in the first instance is a bit of grandstanding from the Greens. What we see here is the ongoing struggle for relevance. What we see here is Ms Le Couteur from the Greens trying to convince the people of the ACT that she does care about planning and urban renewal and that she and her colleague can force the government to do things that they otherwise would not have done.
My message to Ms Le Couteur would simply be, “You are the government. You are in the tent. From the moment you signed the power-sharing agreement with ACT Labor, you became a part of the government.” My message to Ms Le Couteur would be, “Don’t come in here masquerading as a functioning crossbench. This is a coalition over here.”
If Ms Le Couteur has some planning ideas of this nature, surely she would be better served by discussing them with her colleague Mr Rattenbury and having him take them to cabinet. That takes me to the actual gist of the motion. The original unamended motion from Ms Le Couteur achieves nothing. If the government, as suggested by this motion, declares our town centres as urban renewal precincts, the practical result is nothing. There is no regulatory change. There is no change to taxes
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