Page 447 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 March 2023
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Over time, all of the depots will need to be converted to house battery electric buses and charging capability will need to be provided. Having 300 buses charging at Tuggeranong in the near future and at Woden will certainly meet the capacity of the transition over the medium term. Then, of course, over the long term—and looking at that target of 2040 or earlier—we will be looking at how we can transition the rest of the depots, including looking at bringing on a fourth depot in the future as well.
We will look to update that preferred transition pathway, as outlined in the Zero-Emission Transition Plan, to provide some certainty about what is occurring on the north side as well as the south side of Canberra.
MR BRADDOCK: Minister, what public and active transport projects have you sought federal government assistance and funding for?
MR STEEL: On a regular basis and through each federal budget, we engage with them on what projects are currently in our pipeline and where they may be able to make an investment, and that certainly includes active travel projects. We have seen over recent years investments that have been made by the federal government into those sorts of projects—for example, the Garden City Cycleway, with a $5 million contribution towards that ACT government project from the commonwealth government in the last budget, which was very welcomed.
We have also been engaging with the commonwealth government on other transport projects. We have been engaging with them very productively in relation to mass public transport through light rail. We will continue to engage with them on future road infrastructure projects, which may include active travel components.
Of course, they are already making a contribution to a wide range of infrastructure projects in the ACT, and we are working closely with them to deliver those.
Planning—Exhibition Park
MR BRADDOCK: My question is to the Special Minister of State, I believe. Can you please provide an update in terms of Exhibition Park in Canberra and the development of the plan for that site?
MR BARR: I have responsibility at this point for that master planning work. I can advise the member that Cox Architecture are leading that work. They have had a series of community engagements already, last month. That will continue over the course of this year, and I would anticipate them providing the government with a range of options for the renewal of Exhibition Park during this parliamentary term.
MR BRADDOCK: Chief Minister, can you give assurance that the redevelopment will include a large indoor space with kitchen facilities appropriate for large community gatherings?
MR BARR: Certainly we are aware of the demand for such a facility. There are in fact multiple options and pathways to deliver one or more such spaces as part of the Exhibition Park renewal project.
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