Page 3397 - Week 09 - Thursday, 24 August 2017
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elements of the park should be based on what the community wants. I am proud to represent Giralang and thank residents for their trust and willingness to get on board and participate in this process.
This is a great way to be encouraging more nature in our suburbs. It is important that we do this, as the natural environment has a great capacity to enrich the built environment of our city. Integration between these two elements can be done through well-considered planning and engagement with the community.
Giralang is a Radburn suburb, one that was designed for community use, for the environment and for pedestrians. The footpaths in Giralang, like many Belconnen suburbs, lead to a central point where the community can come together. In Giralang this central area is currently home to Giralang Primary School, the preschool and the Chabad centre, with the community centre and playing fields nearby. This park provides a focal point at the heart of Giralang for everyone to come together. I am glad to see it funded in this budget.
MS FITZHARRIS (Yerrabi—Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Minister for Transport and City Services and Minister for Higher Education, Training and Research) (5.25): Mr Assistant Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to speak today about the 2017-18 budget and the important work the ACT government is doing through Transport Canberra and City Services. As members have mentioned, it is a directorate whose work is of much interest to the community and, of course, to members in this place. Through this budget TCCS is focused on investing in city-shaping infrastructure and community-focused services for all Canberrans. Many of Canberra’s major infrastructure projects and essential community services are delivered by TCCS. These projects and services have the potential to profoundly impact the amenity and liveability of our city both now and into the future.
There are more than 3,000 kilometres of roads across Canberra which support the social, economic and transportation needs of our city. In 2016-17 the ACT government started, and this budget continues, work on several major road projects to improve performance, safety and access for people living in each region across the city. These projects include the duplication of Ashley Drive, Aikman Drive, Gundaroo Drive, Horse Park Drive and Cotter Road.
While I have been pleased with the progress our road network made last financial year, over the next 12 months work will both start and finish on a range of significant projects which will future-proof the ACT against traffic woes and congestion for many years to come. In this budget the ACT government has provided a further $54 million to upgrade, build and plan for better roads, improving Canberrans’ ability to safely and easily move round the city. Our roads package will upgrade, build and plan for eight important roads, including the duplication of Gundaroo Drive through to the Barton Highway and, very importantly, signalising the intersection of Gundaroo Drive and Mirrabei Drive. A number of other significant roads projects will be delivered by the new Suburban Land Agency.
Improving the ACT’s public transport infrastructure is also vital in our plans to create a more livable city. We have spoken often in this place—at least on this side of the
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