Page 99 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 11 February 2020

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Environment and Transport and City Services—Standing Committee

Statement by chair

MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (5.07): Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services relating to petition 14-19. The petition was received by the Assembly on 30 July 2019 and referred to the committee under standing order 99A.

As signatories to petition 14-19, 565 residents of the ACT sought to draw to the attention of the Assembly the perceived need for “a new destination recreation park” in Canberra’s inner north. The petitioners pointed out that play spaces in Dickson, Downer, Watson and Hackett “were largely established in the 1960s and 1970s” and that “Most of the existing equipment is basic and outdated”. They further noted that most of these play spaces are “unshaded, made of non-renewable materials and can be prohibitively hot during summer”.

The petition called on the Assembly “to request the Government to build a new playground” that is inclusive, adventurous, distinctive and integrated.

In response to the petition, the minister noted:

Community views and priorities for city services in general and play spaces in particular have been informed by the outcomes of the “Better Suburbs” deliberative democracy initiative.

As a result of this process, according to the minister, $1.9 million has been allocated to playground upgrades and improvements across the city, including “the funding of a new Nature Play Space at Glebe Park”. The ministerial response further noted that a nature play area has been built in Haig Park, that additional activities and equipment are located in Garema Place and that “the Boundless destination playground is located on the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore near the National Carillon and offers a wealth of activities and inclusive equipment for children’s play”.

Given the government’s allocation of funding for playground upgrades and improvements in Glebe Park, in addition to the existing playground facilities in Canberra’s inner north, the committee has decided not to inquire further into the matters raised in petition 14-19.

Environment and Transport and City Services—Standing Committee

Statement by chair

MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (5.10): Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services relating to petition 20-19. The petition was received by the Assembly on 13 August 2019 and referred to the committee under standing order 99A.


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