Page 2059 - Week 07 - Thursday, 24 June 2021

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Our recognition of the importance of the local community’s input and support has been demonstrated in other recent consultations. In Gungahlin, on the north side, we have already received 1,000 pieces of feedback from the local community in relation to upgrades at Yerrabi Pond, which again were a Labor election commitment that we are now getting on and delivering. And we are doing so in consultation with the community. The consultation process involved a range of pop-ups and meetings with community councils and local resident groups as well as letterbox drops, flyers, onsite signage and social media. No doubt we will continue to do that type of engagement with the community on similar projects, including our planned works on the Lake Tuggeranong foreshore upgrades that Labor committed to and is delivering.

We are actively committed to engaging with as many members of the community as we can on these types of projects. Our varying methods demonstrate this. It is not just formal consultation processes that trigger our engagement with the community; we are out there regularly engaging with local communities and stakeholders. Ms Burch has been a shining example of that, bringing many of these issues to light and actually doing the policy work and getting the policies worked up ahead of the election so that our party could commit to those and then deliver them in government.

In addition, we are regularly engaging with local community councils, including the Tuggeranong Community Council, and residents associations, whether it be via direct email, phone contact or attending their monthly meetings. This will continue, particularly as the new budget is handed down in August and we commence work on a range of new projects. I am excited to let not only the Tuggeranong community but all Canberrans know what is coming in their region. I will keep them involved and updated as projects progress.

I again thank Ms Lawder for the opportunity to talk about Labor’s record of investment on the south side and our commitment to upgrades around Lake Tuggeranong. They have been substantial in previous years, in the previous term, and they will continue in this term, as we deliver on what we committed to do, what we said we would do, building trust with the community and getting on with the job. That is in stark contrast to the Canberra Liberals, who never promise and cannot deliver.

MR DAVIS (Brindabella) (3.43): I rise to speak to Ms Lawder’s motion on Lake Tuggeranong and the amenity of the Lake Tuggeranong area. I was very excited when I saw it appear on the notice paper. It speaks to me of the blessed hybrid we have as members of the Legislative Assembly, as both state MPs and city councillors. Yesterday I had a healthy and robust debate with Mr Hanson from the opposition around an issue that other state MPs would usually debate. But on issues of city council responsibility, it is wonderful to be able to work together with the other members for Brindabella, when what matters is not your political stripe but what part of town you are from, how much you love it and how prepared you are to fight for it.

I really like Ms Lawder’s motion. I cannot think of any amendments or anything I would not have said myself. It reflects clear consultation with the community, and it makes recommendations consistent with what I heard at stalls and meetings, and through correspondence, from the residents I represent in Tuggeranong even before I had the pleasure of being elected to this chamber.


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