Page 537 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 13 February 2013
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MR RATTENBURY: As I was saying, I think the information about the tenders would be more useful to the community as it provides greater certainty on the timing and time frames of work, as well as listing locations by street and suburb. I will therefore ask that TAMS publish this information on the TAMS website and update it as new tenders are let.
In addition, I will ask my directorate to publish information on the TAMS website that summarises the processes TAMS uses to maintain and repair the footpaths and shared paths around Canberra. I think this information is always useful to the public so they can understand the prioritisation system and also then the expectations about repairs. Hopefully that will be beneficial. I have indicated in my amendment that we will do that by 31 March. The only reason for the time frame is—we will try and do it sooner—just to give us time to distil it into a coherent document.
So for the reasons I have outlined, I will propose an amendment that will commit the government to providing some additional information to the public, and I appreciate the indication from Mr Wall that he accepts that amendment. I think it delivers the essential intent behind his motion today. Hopefully it also reflects my genuine intent to improve walking and cycling facilities in the ACT.
I get a lot of correspondence from members about these matters, and I know they get this paragraph from me all the time, but I would encourage members of the public to go directly to either Canberra Connect or fix my street. It is not that I do not want members to write me letters, but it is actually quicker and the agencies will get onto it faster if those are used mechanisms directly.
The public actually plays a really important part in getting these amenities fixed up. I do not think it would be a good use of resources to have government inspectors just wandering the streets looking for cracked paths, and I really encourage people, if there is a problem, to let the government know. I think the systems work quite well through fix my street and Canberra Connect to get them repaired in a timely manner. Of course someone will always come along and say, “Mine fell through the cracks.” Terrible pun, that one; sorry, but it was unintended. I apologise for where the system does break down, but my experience and the checking I have done in the portfolio is that a very large percentage get dealt with in a very efficient and timely manner.
I simply close by moving my amendment and commending it to the Assembly:
Omit paragraphs (1) and (2), substitute:
“notes:
(1) there is a large number of footpaths and shared paths across the ACT—approximately 2200 km of footpaths and 350 km of cycle paths;
(2) the ACT Government has processes in place to manage and maintain footpaths and shared paths across the ACT;
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