Page 1014 - Week 03 - Thursday, 23 March 2017
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hammering local businesses since 2014. The federal environment and veterans’ affairs departments have both left the Woden town centre in recent years.
The Department of Health, which is one of the biggest employers in Woden, has repeatedly cut jobs due to federal budgetary constraints. In 2015 Ross Peake of the Canberra Times described Woden as being “mugged” by public service cuts, and I think that is an accurate description. Sadly, a new round of staff cuts from Health was announced as recently as February this year.
The community has repeatedly raised concerns about this abandonment by the federal government. Even in Belconnen, I know too well the effect this abandonment has had, with more cuts to the Australian Bureau of Statistics announced just this week. Even though the department of immigration leaving the Belconnen town centre did not materialise, thanks to a concerted community campaign of which I and many others were part, and with the bipartisan support of our federal members, this had a real effect on community confidence. It would have been economically disastrous.
Against this abandonment, the ACT Labor government recognises the importance of Woden town centre, we recognise the potential of Woden town centre and we recognise the importance of renewal for the Woden town centre. In contrast to the complete abandonment of Woden by the federal Liberal government, Labor is working to revitalise the town centre by injecting new workforces and by building infrastructure to cultivate activity and community.
The government is keen to ensure that the Woden town centre realises its full potential and to bring to the centre the mix of residents, employment, retail, community facilities and open space that is working in other centres. Development in the town centre will be guided by the Woden town centre master plan, which provides a new vision for the centre. The master plan recommends changing planning controls for the centre to increase the amount of high density residential land in appropriate locations and to improve the urban design outcomes of new development. These locations are close to rapid public transport stops, shops and services, and open spaces in the centre to allow for population growth in attractive and convenient areas. Consultation on the draft variations to the Territory Plan is underway, and I encourage all Canberrans to have their say at yoursay.act.gov.au.
Renewal means looking at how people move through the centre. The master plan recommends several improvements to the cycle and pedestrian networks to make walking and cycling easy, convenient and better integrated with the bus station and public transport stops. It recommends converting part of Corinna Street and Bradley Street into a shared zone, improving the roads and intersections and providing new areas of open spaces and parks.
I am pleased to say that the ACT government has already commenced work on these improvements to the paths and cycle infrastructure around the centre. Construction of the Easty Street community path connection to Callam Street and along Easty Street is complete. Design of the Matilda Street separated cycleway and verge upgrade is complete, with construction scheduled to commence in late April 2017.
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