Page 905 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 March 2019
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The government’s age-friendly suburbs program is specifically delivering infrastructure such as wider footpaths, traffic calming and crossing improvements, to meet this need.
I acknowledge that some areas of Canberra have a greater proportion of older residents. The age-friendly suburbs program strategically targets suburbs with the highest need first. The program prioritises suburbs with the highest share of seniors; the presence of aged care and residential care facilities; and the number of requests for walking improvements through fix my street and other similar inquiries.
The age-friendly suburbs program started in 2015 with improvements to active travel infrastructure and facilities in Ainslie and Weston to make it easier for older residents to get around. The government worked closely with the community to identify priority improvements in both suburbs, and a raft of footpath and road crossing improvements were then delivered. Following the success of this program in Weston and Ainslie, the program was expanded to Page and Hughes.
Over the next three years the government is investing a further $1.65 million in the age-friendly suburbs program, targeting the suburbs of Stirling, Isabella Plains, Narrabundah, Kambah, Campbell, Aranda and Holt. Community consultation for age-friendly improvements in these suburbs will begin next month. The age-friendly suburbs program recognises that there are some suburbs that require more attention than others, and it provides a dedicated source of funding from which to deliver improvements. However, it is not the whole picture when it comes to government investment in making Canberra age-friendly.
Ms Lawder’s simplistic method of calculating the date for age-friendly Canberra to 2073 fails to recognise the infrastructure improvements that are being delivered as part of capital works programs to benefit people of all ages. The active streets for schools program is another example of a program that is providing infrastructure improvements that benefit all ages. Active streets is currently being expanded to another 52 schools across the territory.
We are also making our public transport network accessible and compliant by upgrading both stops and buses and providing path connections ensuring access for many thousands of bus stops and stations. Most of our bus fleet offers easy access as well as services for hearing, vision and mobility impaired users, and we are working towards having 100 per cent accessible buses and bus stops by 2022. Where possible, Transport Canberra attempts to provide wheelchair-accessible buses on routes requested by the public.
Furthermore, earlier this year TCCS released new municipal infrastructure standards to ensure that high quality infrastructure is delivered as part of infill and greenfield developments.
The government also provides support services and concessions throughout the year and across the territory. Transport Canberra provides free bus travel for ACT residents aged 70 years and older. Senior MyWay card holders also currently get free bus travel
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