Page 5515 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 9 December 2009
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Mr Barr: It is nearly as good as Dickson.
MR SESELJA: It is quite significant. And it would be comparable, I think, to a Dickson. But the layout of that area is far from ideal. Anyone who has been there on a Friday evening or a Saturday evening trying to pick up a meal would know that it needs a wholesale rethink in terms of the layout of that area. It has the potential to be an absolute jewel for Tuggeranong. I think it is a wonderful place for people to come. People already do come there but I think the way that it is planned does not allow it to reach its full potential.
I think we are all agreed that a master planning process for Erindale would be an important step forward, dealing with not just the traffic management issues—the traffic management issues are critical—but also with the issues of density. Mr Smyth highlighted some of the concerns of residents around there. When there is a push for density, there is always that clash between existing residents and the need for more medium density housing in the ACT. But there is no doubt that our group centres are places where we should be looking for appropriate levels of development and where we have the opportunity for more people to live at them. That said, we need to get the balance with the surrounding residents right.
We also do need to do it in a strategic way. We do need to look at how it relates to the Tuggeranong town centre. The Erindale centre was originally looked at as a potential town centre for Tuggeranong and there are many arguments back and forth as to whether that would have been the right decision or not. But clearly, as a result of that thinking and as a result, I think, of its geographic location, it is a very important centre.
It is a very important transport hub. It should become a more important transport hub because, whilst the internal traffic management is quite challenging, the roads that service it, aside from the issues that Mr Smyth raised, are very good. The road links servicing that area are certainly Erindale Drive and Sternberg and Ashley crescents, of course.
So we want to see this as a real jewel for the people of Tuggeranong. At the end of this process, we want to see, hopefully, a way forward that allows this centre to really grow, to grow in a way that attracts people to live and that attracts business. We need to take account of all these things. Mr Smyth has foreshadowed his amendment which has been circulated. We need to be looking at all of the issues, not just transport but opportunities for business development, appropriate policy governing infill, existing road structure, transport links and the need to develop the area around Gartside Street to enhance this as a restaurant precinct.
I will not have the opportunity to speak to Mr Smyth’s amendment but I state now that I think it is a very sensible way to go, it is a very comprehensive way to go. It looks at all of the issues that need to be covered in the area of Erindale and I would commend it to the Assembly. I look forward to the ongoing debate where we can have the opportunity to hopefully fix some of the mistakes of the past and hopefully improve the amenity of this centre for a large part of Tuggeranong which uses it on a regular basis.
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