Page 1359 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011
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each day and for those 40 per cent of Queanbeyan employees who reside in the ACT. We need to coordinate better public and private transport options for town and rural residents within and around the ACT.
Emissions from transport will be a persistent and significant challenge for the ACT and it is absolutely essential that we address this now and develop the infrastructure and services that will be essential if we are to achieve our emissions reduction target.
One particular issue I would like to mention in relation to transport is the very high speed train. That train represents a huge opportunity for the ACT and for the government. The government should ensure that the ACT is included in the federal feasibility study and lobby for Canberra to be a key destination of the very high speed train.
It would be preferable for the ACT to be part of the main line between Melbourne and Sydney. We think that serious consideration should be given to locating the train in north Canberra, adjacent to existing high-frequency transport systems. A dedicated high-frequency, limited-stop shuttle service connecting the train station located near Gungahlin-Mitchell with the city and the airport would provide connectivity between the airport and the very high speed train system.
If you look at food production, it is something we do not have much of in the ACT, though the weekly farmers markets are becoming increasingly popular. The Greens’ motion on community gardens did receive widespread support. We rely almost completely on food production interstate. This is one area that the Greens would like to change. There is plenty of fertile land in the ACT which could be used for food production and it would be a shame to waste the opportunity to become a more resilient city. We are part of a very productive region that, carefully and sustainably managed, can provide food for the ACT for many years to come. It is vital that we acknowledge this fact and work constructively with the region.
In the area of health, the Greens were disappointed that the recent establishment of a local hospital network did not recognise the important role that the ACT provides as a regional provider of health services. Community submissions to the ACT government’s discussion paper about the establishment of the ACT local hospital network strongly preferenced the regional model.
The ACT government has stated that this issue is being worked through with the New South Wales government, and we hope the change of government in New South Wales does not affect this. The Greens remain hopeful that the negotiations will be successful so that our bureaucracies can better mirror and respond to the health needs of consumers and how they engage with health services.
The Greens support proposals for ACT Health to lease spare capacity within Queanbeyan Hospital to perform elective surgery. While changes are being made to make more efficient use of ACT operating theatres, there is limited capacity. To purchase space over the border when it is needed seems like a sensible use of resources. The Greens do hope that this will come into effect soon to assist in reducing elective surgery waiting times.
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