Page 2556 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 31 July 2019
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is; it is about what the impact is during the construction phase. For the government to try to fob off so many of the issues that have been raised by residents and businesses in Gungahlin, and articulated by James Milligan, does a disservice to them individually and to the government at large.
I want to conclude by thanking James Milligan for being a strong voice for businesses in Gungahlin. He will continue to advocate for them and for the community. I very much hope that at some stage businesses do get the support they desperately need from the ACT government.
MR MILLIGAN (Yerrabi) (5.37): I would like to thank all speakers here today for their contributions, especially my fellow Liberal member for Yerrabi, Alistair Coe, and Caroline Le Couteur, who understand the plight that businesses are going through along the light rail corridor. After all, the Liberal Party is the party for small business and we recognise that they are the backbone of our local economy.
What really upset me was Minister Steel pretending in this place that the light rail project delivery report was what was promised. It is laughable given that when I submitted a question on notice last month about the scope of consultation for the post-six-month review, the former minister for transport said it was yet to be finalised. I realised that that response was dated 28 June 2019—after the light rail delivery report was released.
Just to be clear, this government released a report on 21 June, then told me on 28 June that the scope of the review was still being finalised. Either there has been a major breakdown in communication or this minister just is not across his portfolio.
Getting down to the guts of the amendment put forward to my motion, Minister Steel’s amendment refers to the light rail project delivery report highlighting the economic and social benefits. Given that this report was published on 21 June 2019, and knowing that this government probably took months to compile it, how much data, analysis or reflection would have been possible in such a short time frame? Light rail only started on 20 April, and there is just no way that this report can report on how an operational light rail has impacted local businesses in a positive way.
In Minister Steel’s amendment he refers to the extensive communication and engagement activities undertaken with a wide variety of stakeholders, including local businesses. How and when has this consultation occurred? Not one business that I have spoken to has been contacted about this apparent review. The amendment states that the report assessed and reported on key lessons learnt. Yes, page 54 talks about ways that the government tried to engage with the community, one of which relates to business, but this just does not cut the mustard.
Apparently, the only relevant lesson learnt for business was a positive one about how great communication and support services were. This completely ignores the negative impact in the government’s own report tabled in September last year. Whilst I am pleased that the government has committed to a 12-month review, this does not deliver on the promise made to local businesses. Businesses should not have to wait
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