Page 2072 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 June 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I would also like to note Mr Milligan and his colleague Mr Coe were both in attendance at an event that I attended last week with Mark Scarborough from My Gungahlin. At the event, which celebrated five years of My Gungahlin and launched its new website, Mark was asked his thoughts on light rail. He responded by saying, “Honestly, I think it’s needed. Case in point, the other day I was driving during peak hour to Civic down Northbourne and I counted six buses running nose to tail straight down Northbourne Avenue. And those buses were full. I think that light rail has a purpose and that is a mass transit solution, moving lots of people quickly down the main corridors.” He went on to say, “I think it is going to be good,” but that it needed to be rolled out Canberra-wide to be a success. In the short term there has been a clear impact.
I support the amendment put forward by the minister which acknowledges the disruption caused to local business and the community. I encourage members to support the amended motion calling on the ACT government to undertake an assessment of all construction activities on local businesses. As light rail becomes a key part of our city-wide, integrated transport network, it is important we learn from the experience of each stage and it is also important for all of us to support our local businesses by buying locally.
My Gungahlin, which I noted before, is a portal for local Gungahlin businesses to advertise to the people who live, work and play in the Gungahlin region and, having seen My Gungahlin grow from a business directory in 2005 with only one paying customer to what it is now in its fourth iteration, Mark is well versed in the needs of local business in Gungahlin. My Gungahlin, like so many other businesses in the region, could not have grown into what it is today if it was not for the Gungahlin community supporting locally.
The ACT government recognises this as well and has been getting on with finding solutions for Gungahlin businesses. We have been working with the Canberra Business Chamber to provide the light rail business link program. The program brings together the ACT government, local businesses and Canberra Metro to discuss how opportunities for business can be maximised. Specific training and information sessions are available and the business chamber has been actively seeking to mitigate the impacts of construction along the rail corridor. The program is focused on identifying and cultivating new business development and growth opportunities that arise from the light rail project. This program is happening right now and offering support to local Gungahlin businesses in meeting the challenges they face, both now and into the future.
The light rail business link recently conducted a series of marketing masterclasses to businesses located along the light rail corridor. This series was targeted at helping businesses refine and develop their marketing plans to strengthen their business. In all, 10 hours of specialised marketing support, tailored to each Gungahlin local business that participated, was provided. This assistance will not just help businesses see their way through this period as the light rail construction is completed but will enable them to better realise the benefits light rail offers the region.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video