Page 1485 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 July 2020
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strength of our tertiary education and research sector. It is a key economic driver for the territory. The ACT government recognises the immense value of this sector and the significant role it plays in delivering quality education and research outcomes, driving innovation and commercialisation, and attracting more national and international students to the territory.
UNSW will attract up to 6,000 local, national and international students to the heart of Canberra and create around 2,000 jobs. This exciting development is expected to generate up to $3 billion in economic benefit to the territory. The new campus will facilitate innovation and growth in the defence and cybersecurity industries, build on Canberra’s knowledge economy strengths and support the territory’s growth priorities in education and training.
We have heard it said many times in recent months, and it cannot be denied, that these truly are unprecedented times. Not only will UNSW Canberra city campus deliver all of the economic and reputational benefits of another Group of Eight university in our city but also it will provide critical stimulus activity in its construction phase and beyond. The project represents a major infrastructure development for the city, with a boost in construction jobs in the short and medium term and thousands of ongoing jobs into the future.
To support this important initiative, the territory is making three main contributions to the project, comprising approximately eight hectares of land in the city’s south-east, the cost of remediation of contamination on the site and a $25 million cash contribution to be paid by instalments as key milestones are delivered.
To protect the territory’s investment, the ACT government and UNSW have entered into a precinct deed, setting out the rights and obligations of each party in establishing the campus. Under the precinct deed, UNSW must develop a master plan, in consultation with key stakeholders and the community. The master plan must also be endorsed by the National Capital Authority and approved by the territory. This will provide a blueprint for how a staged development of the new campus will be delivered.
UNSW commenced community engagement on its master plan following the territory’s formal announcement on 5 March 2020. The precinct deed also places an obligation on the territory to introduce and pass this legislation to allow the development to proceed in line with the terms agreed between UNSW and the territory, as is reflected under the precinct deed.
The amendment bill fulfils this obligation on the territory and, in doing so, carefully balances the need for legislation that both protects the territory’s interests and enables appropriate flexibility for UNSW’s operation. Through the amendments, the territory’s investment and its policy intent in supporting the development will be protected through legislation, as well as through crown lease conditions, over the coming years. The bill ensures that the land is used appropriately by UNSW to achieve our joint objectives. These goals are achieved by amending the Planning and Development Act 2007, the Planning and Development Regulations 2008 and the Land Titles Act 1925.
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