Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

There is a comment that there should be more people and more activity in the central area. It is a comment made by some; it is not perhaps a universal view. The NCA has gone into this, as has the ACT government. There is this proposal for these amendments which will increase the attractiveness of Canberra. I should point out perhaps that, once implemented, these amendments will provide an additional 12 hectares—I want to make that point—of dedicated public open space associated with the inevitable development in these areas.

The amendments—and I thought the Greens would be very interested in this—address water-sensitive stormwater treatment through catchment and settlement ponds; recreation; commuter cycling; and sustainable public transport. They are all areas that the Greens pay lip-service to in their general comments, yet these amendments are going to address those issues and the Greens are trying to stop them. As I said, I could go on at some length about what the amendments will do, but that does not seem to be the point of the disallowance.

I should mention before concluding that all Australians and particularly Canberrans will be delighted that the government has committed $58.8 million over the next four years to two major infrastructure projects to transform the centre of the national capital consistent with the Griffin Legacy. I see that Senator Lundy is here representing the ACT. I am sure that she will get up and, in her speech, congratulate the government for providing those funds and proceeding with the Griffin Legacy, which, as I said, has been so long in the making. As to consultation and the people involved, qualified, world-class planners as well as the general community have been involved in all of that. That is good news for the ACT. It is good news for all of us, because I think all Australians are very proud of this city as our national capital.

The budget also commits more than $3.1 million per annum for the maintenance of roads and other assets in the capital. The two projects involve the duplication and upgrading of Constitution Avenue and the bridging of Kings Avenue over Parkes Way at the Russell roundabout. The projects to be undertaken by the National Capital Authority will bring direct benefits to Canberra motorists every day of the week. Everyone who drives a car in Canberra will be very pleased about that. Constitution Avenue will be duplicated and a new, quality streetscape will be created. From Russell to Vernon Circle there will be two traffic lanes in each direction, one with bus priority, and on-street parking on both sides of the avenue. A quality public domain will be provided, including pavements, street lighting, street furniture and landscaping. These improvements will realise the avenue as the great boulevard that was envisaged by Walter Burley Griffin for the National Triangle.

The bridging of Kings Avenue over Parkes Way at Russell roundabout will remove one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the capital. Parkes Way will be lowered and new bridges will carry Kings Avenue traffic over Parkes Way through to the Defence headquarters at Russell. This work will also restore Kings Avenue as one side of Griffin’s National Triangle. These works will significantly reduce travel times between Parliament House, the city and the airport. Construction is going to begin in 2008 and will be completed in 2010. As these works will be constructed entirely within the existing road reservations, they can proceed regardless of this particular motion.

I mention all of those things to indicate this government’s and certainly Minister Lloyd’s great support for the national capital and what it means for all Australians. Our government over many years has been instrumental in building Canberra to the great city it is today. I know that the founder of the Liberal Party, Sir Robert Menzies, was a great supporter of the national capital and all that is in it. Some of the very fine features of the national capital are things that evolved during Sir Robert Menzies’s reign as Prime Minister of this great country. Over the last 11 years our government has put enormous resources and effort into adding to the great city that the Australian Capital Territory is. It is a national capital of which we are all proud. I think the initiatives announced in the budget, along with the amendments proposed for the plan, will make it an even greater national capital for all Australians.