Page 2281 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 1 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
interesting by putting private sector people in. We compare public with private, but they are still people and this does not change very much what happens. There is a great deal more to be done in the planning to make Civic the place that we all want it to be.
MR DUBY (10.53): My committee colleagues have gone through the broad thrust of the recommendations and the discussions and deliberations that the committee undertook in relation to this issue. As Mr Collaery said, we received a number of submissions. I just did a little adding up. We received 17 submissions and we interviewed at length 22 witnesses in relation to the Canberra Times site proposal. I think the committee's recommendations have addressed all issues that were put before the committee in its deliberations.
There is no doubt in my mind that the committee's recommendation still complies with the 1989 Civic centre plan, particularly in relation to employment levels. Mr Kaine mentioned that we particularly examined employment levels within Civic. If this proposal goes ahead, the percentage of the population working in Civic will still be less than 20 per cent of that of the ACT. We have examined traffic and parking issues and environmental issues as well, and those issues have been addressed in the recommendations that the committee has come up with.
I particularly hope that the Government can place restrictions on inner city parking. I know that it has addressed an issue with its transit plan which was tabled last week. In a way, I think it stole our thunder a little bit, because we had recommended that certain measures be taken in that regard. At least it is the first step along the way.
Nevertheless, another important issue that has come out of our committee's discussion is the recommendation in relation to unleaded country grade and city grade petrol. To my knowledge, this is the first time this has been raised in the Assembly as a recommendation of any kind, and I think people will look forward to the Government implementing what to me are eminently sensible suggestions that we have low-lead petrol here in the ACT. Nevertheless, that is a matter for the Government to investigate and report on.
I think I agree with Mr Wood - and this point should be stressed - that the recommendations of this committee should not be seen as a blank cheque for development within the Civic area. The Concrete Constructions site, or the Canberra Times site, has to be identified as a one-off special case for a variety of special circumstances which Mr Kaine outlined. Therefore, I am happy to concur with the report that has been put down and to heartily support, or at least endorse, the recommendation of the committee that the lease be surrendered and regranted.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .