Page 811 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
We will help fund a new structure at the Greenway enclosed oval to improve player and spectator facilities. We will commit $600,000 to establish a family water play area as part of the Lakeside Leisure Centre at Tuggeranong. This funding will deliver a water play area similar to that at Dickson.
We are committed to delivering local shops and strong communities. We will deliver upgrades to local centres in Banks, Theodore, Kambah and Tuggeranong. ACT Labor has made a number of commitments that will benefit the whole of the Canberra community. Unlike the Canberra Liberals, we do not believe in dividing the community, as Mr Seselja’s motion intends.
There is $4.5 million to create an additional hundred childcare places by upgrading childcare centres across Canberra. We will be increasing the community bus services provided by Regional Community Services, by committing an additional $2.3 million to cover six new wheelchair accessible vehicles. There is $62 million over four years to upgrade and improve community facilities such as parks, playgrounds, cycle paths and footpaths and bus stops.
In the last term of government we also delivered major initiatives for the people of Tuggeranong, such as the new Namadgi School, the Tuggeranong Seniors Centre, funding for improved community access at Lanyon Homestead, a record growth in investment in childcare centres, government support for a new bulk-billing GP clinic in Chisholm, improvements and extensions to the Mura Lanyon centre and older housing tenant units also located in Lanyon.
Let us contrast that with what Mr Seselja promised at Lanyon.
Mr Smyth: Yes. In detail?
MS BURCH: Mr Smyth does not know where the social housing complex for older people at Lanyon is—it is just extraordinary—and does not know the voters of Brindabella.
We have heard a lot of rhetoric from Mr Seselja. Apart from an under-funded pool with no detail of its location and operations, what we did see from Mr Seselja was a plan to upgrade Gowrie oval. This is the oval, quite literally, probably where his children play. So this is to look after himself, not the people of Lanyon. We will be delivering upgrades to Bonython and Isabella Plains neighbourhood ovals and continue to support all our young kids having access to improved ovals over time.
But let us consider part 1(c) of my amendment. I think we need to go back in history with regard to Mr Seselja and his motion and the connection to Lanyon valley. Eighteen months ago Mr Seselja announced that he was switching seats and contesting the seat of Brindabella in 2012. Mr Seselja had ample opportunity to represent the people of Brindabella before that but, instead, contested two elections for the seat of Molonglo. And why was that? Because it was convenient for him. It was suitable to him. But in 2011 he announced that he was swapping, as he claimed, to represent the community he lived in, to represent them in the Eighth Assembly.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video