Page 1295 - Week 05 - Thursday, 25 June 1992
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MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Stevenson for giving me notice of the question, as it does involve some detail. The question is in several parts. The first asked: How many square metres of office and shop space is currently being leased in the ACT? According to the latest Canberra office market report, which is dated January 1992, of the Building Owners and Managers Association, the total stock of office space in the ACT is 1,294,100 square metres. Of this, a net total of 1,248,600 square metres is leased. According to the latest survey conducted by the ACT Government, which was in October 1991, there is approximately 730,000 square metres of total retail space in the ACT. Of this, about 86,000 square metres is vacant. Mr Stevenson also asked: How much of this leased office and shop space is not occupied? I regret to inform Mr Stevenson that data for the private market is not available, so I have given as much information there as I can.
Mr Stevenson further asked: How much of this unoccupied space is being leased by the ACT Government or by any of its departments? I advise that the ACT Government uses a total of 92,000 square metres of space, of which 75 per cent is leased, while 25 per cent is owned. Of the total, 16,029 square metres is unoccupied. Of the unoccupied space, some 15,604 square metres - that is, almost all of it - is currently being refurbished and fitted out. The remaining 400 square metres is unoccupied and not being refurbished. That lease expires in six months and will not be renewed.
Mr Stevenson also asked whether the leased empty space artificially raises the price of real estate properties in the ACT. I advise that there is not a significant quantity of empty office space being held by the ACT Government or its departments, hence there is no impact on the price of real estate properties in the ACT. The current vacancy rate for office accommodation in the ACT is 3.5 per cent. A balanced market is generally regarded as being around 3 to 5 per cent; therefore the ACT office market is in a very healthy balance indeed. It certainly compares very favourably with cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, where vacancy rates in the office market are currently 15.6 per cent and 24.4 per cent respectively.
Emergency Rescue Services
MR WESTENDE: My question is addressed to the Minister for Urban Services. The Minister would be aware that the agreement between the Australian Federal Police and the Fire Brigade on the provision of emergency rescue services expires at the end of this month. Does the Minister intend to renew this agreement? If so, when? Will the Minister provide me with the terms of this agreement? If not, what arrangements will be made for cooperation between the police and the emergency services to ensure continuity of this level of service?
MR CONNOLLY: Mr Westende's question refers to a matter of some importance - the provision of emergency rescue services at motor vehicle accidents. This was an issue of contention some years ago and the resolution was, in effect, a north-south divide. It had the fire service providing the primary roadside rescue service on the north side and the AFP rescue squad providing the primary service on the south side. The AFP rescue squad have duties beyond road rescue, of course, but they do provide a road rescue backup. That arrangement tended to reduce somewhat the operational tension between the two
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