Page 3034 - Week 10 - Friday, 8 October 2021

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MS DAVIDSON (Murrumbidgee) (3.49): I support of the amendment moved by Dr Paterson. Like Ms Clay said, we believe in greater transparency and consultation.

I will speak for few moments about other community needs in addition to the Molonglo Valley group centre. I was sent survey results recently from the Molonglo Valley Community Forum that was conducted in July 2021. I found it very interesting to see the range of different things the community needs, and this is why community consultation is so important.

For example, 56.8 per cent of people said they need to see more sports facilities; 40.7 per cent said more recreational facilities; 39.5 per cent said a community activity centre, and I thank Minister Steel for the work he has been progressing to get community activity centres up and running in Molonglo as soon as possible. For emergency services facilities, 33.3 per cent; parks and playgrounds, 27.2 per cent; arts and cultural facilities, 27.2 per cent; health facilities, 17.3 per cent; and places of worship or religious facilities, 12.3 per cent.

If Molonglo Valley is not to become a dormitory district, then we must add to the Mount Stromlo cycling and running facilities with other services and facilities that will bring visitors into the Molonglo Valley from other parts of Canberra and create local employment opportunities. This includes education, health, sports and recreation, arts, and commercial spaces.

I also support Ms Clay’s points about the need for good planning processes and for public transport and active travel connecting Molonglo Valley to the rest of the ACT as well as within the Molonglo Valley to create healthy, sustainable communities where everyone is able to engage safely and easily in public spaces. This is very important.

I also welcome greater consultation with the community as their district develops. The ACT government has some great examples of co-design and good consultation in recent years, including the family safety hubs, safe haven cafes and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention, intervention, postvention and aftercare service.

Good co-design and consultation is exactly what we need when talking about building infrastructure because, as Ms Clay pointed out, it also builds trust. It builds on a foundation that we have a collective cause and that we are committed to this journey together. Trust comes from love and from kindness, and that is what we need for this government and community building a brighter future together. I support the amendment.

MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Manager of Government Business, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (3.51): I thank everybody for their contributions today, particularly for Dr Paterson’s amendment to the motion. It gives us the opportunity to address this across the chamber. We want to ensure, of course, the best outcomes for Molonglo, and it has


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