Page 1654 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 9 May 2018
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I will start with commending the expansion of the nurse-led walk-in centres to Gungahlin and Weston Creek. This was the very first policy item in the parliamentary agreement as the Greens believe these centres have been a great addition to our healthcare system in Canberra. They offer reduced waiting times, free high quality care and one-off treatment and advice for sick Canberrans. I note, however, that this motion includes planning for a health centre in the inner north as opposed to a walk-in centre. I hope the government has done its homework and that the planned service—I am not entirely sure what it will be—will meet the needs of those who live in the inner north and will include the benefits of a walk-in centre.
I also, of course, commend the rollout of the age-friendly suburbs program which my colleague Mr Rattenbury commenced when he was the Minster for Ageing and the TAMS minister in the previous Assembly. It makes improvements to footpaths and cycleways, additional ramps, seating at bus stops and upgraded street furniture. Promoting positive ageing and facilitating opportunities for older people to share their wisdom and experience benefits the whole community. This is why the Greens sought to ensure the expansion of the age-friendly suburbs program and the flexible bus service were included in the parliamentary agreement between the Greens and Labor at the last election.
The Greens also made sure the flexible bus service was expanded to the inner north to ensure residents across Canberra with restricted access to public or private transport options were able to get to and from their homes to go to shops and medical appointments and access the community services that many of us want and I am sure all of us here take for granted.
These are important measures to ensure that older people can be active participants in their communities, reducing the risk of falls while they are trying to be active participants in their community, and improving feelings of safety and confidence. This helps not only older residents in these suburbs to walk to the local shops, the bus stops, or visit neighbours but also people with mobility aids and mums and dads and grandparents pushing prams.
The other item from the parliamentary agreement is about an integrated public transport network. I note and commend the rollout of the five new rapid routes. However, I note that the parliamentary agreement calls for an integrated public transport network, including more rapid routes, not to mention a trial of electric and hybrid buses. It was, of course, with some sadness and regret that I learned that the recent purchase of new buses that will last for 20 years were all diesel. I hope the next buses purchased will be electric. We need to be buying for the future, not the past.
I hope other bus services do not suffer any harsh reductions in frequency as a result of the rollout of the new rapid services. I trust the reason the government is taking longer than it originally planned in putting forward the new timetable is that they are doing a very good job of consultation. Clearly, more rapid services will be a good thing, but there will be people whose bus services will be disrupted, and we need to make sure that they are still able to get around in Canberra and that Canberra continues to be an inclusive place as far as transport is concerned. On that note I should note that we are going to be supporting Candice Burch’s motion regarding evening bus services.
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