Page 1352 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011
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extreme and it really does, I think, illustrate the contempt with which the Liberal Party in this place treats this important issue of cross-border relations.
The ACT and New South Wales actually enjoy, have traditionally enjoyed and I have absolutely no doubt will continue to enjoy a close relationship as a result of our quite unique cross-border circumstance and our interdependence. Canberra’s location at the centre of the Australian capital region makes it the principal service for the surrounding 13 local government areas in south-east New South Wales. The ACT government acknowledges the importance of our region and is very keen to optimise the potential of the area. The importance of the region of course is emphasised by the fact that the local government areas adjacent to or adjoining Canberra are amongst the fastest growing in New South Wales. Of course they are amongst the fastest growing in New South Wales because of their co-location with Canberra, with the ACT. Indeed, much of the region surrounding the ACT is projected to grow as fast as the ACT in coming decades.
It is interesting to reflect that I am advised just over 20,000 people now cross the border from New South Wales into the ACT every day for the purposes of work. The ACT government also of course provides a range of services to New South Wales residents coming to Canberra I think most visibly to access health care and education as well as other services that are provided here within the territory. Approximately 25 to 30 per cent of our public hospital activity derives from New South Wales, and somewhere in the order of 30 per cent of our waiting lists for our public hospitals are New South Wales residents. Interestingly, around 10 per cent of school students in the ACT are from the surrounding New South Wales region, most particularly from Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra. I do not have the latest numbers but my understanding is that somewhere in the order of 5,000 students from New South Wales, resident in New South Wales, attend school in the ACT.
Of course there has been a change of government in New South Wales and I look forward to making early contact with the Premier, Barry O’Farrell, and his government, and most particularly those ministers we work closely with. I know that the Minister for Health and other ministers will similarly make contact with their colleagues in New South Wales to establish early good working relationships so that we can pursue a range of issues of mutual interest to both governments and the people of this particular region.
There is, of course, a framework around arrangements for enhancing service and cooperation within the region. As always, more can be done and we will seek always to enhance our activity. Particular areas of focus in relation to cross-border relations include issues around health, water, transport and planning, most particularly the Sydney-Canberra corridor. I think the importance of cross-border relationships to some extent was implicit in the motion moved by Mr Rattenbury last week in relation to water quality within our lakes here within the territory and the way that our systems are interdependent and the health of Lake Burley Griffin is very much dependent on the health of those watercourses that supply it. But there is considerable work currently underway between ACT officials not just to develop but to sustain good relations. I have absolutely no doubt that those good relations will be maintained with the now government of New South Wales.
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