Page 2646 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 21 September 2022
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I understand that some further discussions between government officials and Royal Life Saving are occurring on the mode, which is that safety aspect. I understand the Greens’ advocacy for our CALD community people. Access Canberra provides some translation services there.
MS CLAY: Minister, what are the criteria for determining that an inland waterway needs safety measures installed?
MR GENTLEMAN: It is usually with regard to depth and waterflow and the bottom of the river corridor, for example. If, for example, it is down at the Cotter—I am just trying to think of the name of the area—there are different levels of depth around those waterways that our Parks people look at with regard to safety and advise people where they can swim and where you see currents, as well.
MR DAVIS: What has been the government’s response to the recent tragic drowning at the Cotter?
MR GENTLEMAN: We did install some safety signs there and, of course, as I mentioned earlier, there is a program in response to that recent drowning. The area that I was trying to think of the name of is Casuarina Sands. It is well-known as an enjoyable waterway to recreate in, but it does have some concerns around it. Those signs have gone up and we are looking at communication devices as well. Mobile phone coverage is difficult in some of those areas. There is a fixed line to the ranger’s area, which has been in place for quite a number of years. Whether we can move a fixed-line connection closer to the river is something that we will certainly look at into the future.
Roads—maintenance
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minster for Transport and City Services. Minister, I refer to some recent media and public commentary regarding the number of potholes plaguing ACT roads. I and many others have raised concerns with you about the poor quality of some of the fix jobs that often lead to the recurrence of potholes a short time later. Minister, why have you failed to take these concerns seriously, and how much will ACT ratepayers have to pay in compensation for pothole-related damage to vehicles before you change these practices?
MR STEEL: I thank the member for her question. We do take this matter seriously. During a time of quite a significant amount of rainfall, and with La Niña weather conditions affecting all cities and roads across the eastern seaboard, with a 45 per cent increase in the amount of rainfall over this period, there has been damage to our roads. During the colder months, we repair some of that damage when it occurs through potholes with cold mix. That is a short-term fix for the roads before we then do hot patching. That is due to begin in October, through the annual road resurfacing program, which begins in the warmer months and goes throughout the summer. It will look at permanently repairing some of those road sections that do require that more significant treatment.
Roads ACT crews have been working incredibly hard over the last few years. In the last year they have fixed almost a thousand potholes. I know that during recent rain
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