Page 1969 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 June 2015
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I cannot support this motion because not only is it short-sighted but it shows little understanding about the real transport issues this city faces and what cities around the world are doing. Let us consider what the Canberra Liberals have proposed so far to invest in transport infrastructure across the territory. After 2½ years in opposition, on Monday—timing that is very notable, being the day before the ACT territory budget—they released stage 1 of a comprehensive transport plan. Stage 1 mentions one road alone in Gungahlin and “super buses”. Let’s talk about the super buses. So far the Canberra Liberals’ plan for transport in this city is super buses and Mr Coe’s Audis. With absolutely no proof of how this super bus system will function in our ever growing city and how it might increase congestion, the Canberra Liberals have not thought this through. Again, this does not provide any solution to congestion. The fact that they have neglected to factor in the costs of additional bus depots is indicative of this sloppy work. They are simply deceiving the people of Gungahlin about the suggestions for a flyover at the Barton Highway roundabout.
Let me talk a little about Gundaroo Drive. In the four months since I have been in this chamber, I have been out talking to the local community. At the first Gungahlin Community Council I attended as an MLA, they had just presented the results of the Gungahlin Community Council survey. Some 1,400 local residents had completed the survey the GCC circulated throughout the community, and many of them noted Gundaroo Drive as their priority road infrastructure. Many of them noted they would like to see work done on this key arterial route.
Subsequent to discussions at Gungahlin Community Council, I spoke to the community around starting a petition. In my first month in the Assembly I started a petition and spoke with the minister for roads about duplicating Gundaroo Drive. Two and a half years into opposition, the Canberra Liberals have barely mentioned Gundaroo Drive. It was not part of their election commitments in 2012 but suddenly, on the Monday before the ACT budget, they decide to start talking about Gundaroo Drive. I will leave that to the community to decide about the Canberra Liberals’ real intentions about Gundaroo Drive. This week the ACT government has committed to funding the duplication of Gundaroo Drive—$32 million to start stage 1, the most critical priority on this road between Mirrabei Drive and Gungahlin Drive. That work will start this year.
What about Horse Park Drive? No mention in the Canberra Liberals’ announcement on Monday about Horse Park Drive. In this budget delivered on Tuesday the Treasurer outlined this government’s plans to start duplicating the full length of Horse Park Drive from Majura Parkway to Mulligans Flat Road at Bonner and Amaroo. The work to design that duplication will get underway, and an additional $17 million for upgrades to intersections and the construction of duplication on one section of Horse Park Drive will get underway.
I had a look at the petition which I presented to Minister Gentleman, who took that in to the cabinet budget deliberations on behalf of the Gungahlin community. I checked on Monday as to whether Mr Coe, who has known about my petition for many months and has seen it presented in an online format and also in hard copy at a couple of Gungahlin Community Council meetings, had signed the petition. To my surprise,
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