Page 2381 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 5 August 2015
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managers have made a concerted effort to meet all EIS respondents in person, including, of course, the business proprietors within the Melbourne and Sydney buildings. During these interactions our place managers have provided detailed information about the EIS, listened to concerns and suggestions and reported this information back to the Capital Metro project team.
Our place managers realise the proposed temporary closure of the London Circuit car park presents a major concern for a number of these businesses. As such, our place managers will continue to liaise with those businesses to make sure they are kept informed. Capital Metro Agency’s priority over the past fortnight has been to meet with all 59 EIS respondents, but we are also committed to conducting meaningful engagement with as many Canberrans as possible. Therefore, the place managers will continue their work by visiting residences, businesses and community groups from Civic through to Gungahlin and beyond
The second initiative is the establishment of business and community reference groups. Throughout July nominations were open for people interested in becoming a member of a community or business reference group for the light rail project. Establishment of the reference groups provides a great opportunity for community and business leaders along the light rail corridor to get involved with the project and provide feedback about the best way to deliver this vital project for Canberra.
The groups will work with the Capital Metro Agency and will act as a valuable forum for members to provide suggestions and ask questions on behalf of the people they represent. The CMA received an overwhelming response from people wishing to be involved, with more than 70 nominations received. The business and community reference groups will complement the place manager program. Part of the role of the place managers will be to work closely with and support each of these reference groups.These two initiatives build on the extensive consultation activities undertaken by Capital Metro to date and demonstrate the government’s commitment to keeping the community involved and updated every step of the way. As with any project of this size and scale, there will be some impacts and there will be some disruption. The government is not shying away from our responsibility to manage these impacts and disruptions, and we are committed to engaging with the Canberra community to ensure the impact is minimised as much as possible. This is a project not just about where we are now; it is about setting Canberra up for the future. Our population is growing, our roads are becoming more and more congested and our commute is getting longer. We simply cannot continue to follow business as usual. It is time to revitalise the corridor, to provide for enhanced development opportunities, to stimulate the economy and to create jobs for our local community. But most importantly, it is time to invest in Canberra’s future.
Madam Assistant Speaker, I have circulated an amendment to Mr Coe’s motion and I now move that amendment:
Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
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