Jon Stanhope on Hall
6 April 2009
In his speech in the Assembly on the 'viability of ACT's villages', Chief Minister Jon Stanhope spoke about the closure of the school, refurbishment of the cottage, Museum and pavilion, the Clarrie Hermes Drive intersection, and the Victoria Square development. The following is an un-edited extract from the speech 'Villages (Matter of Public Importance)':
"While most Canberrans are suburban dwellers, the villages, including those being rebuilt after the fires, are a reminder certainly of our more bucolic past and indeed are a reflection or a mirror of Canberra before the decision to establish the national capital here. There will always be Canberrans who yearn for a more countrified existence, who desire a rural residential lifestyle that combines the best of both worlds. As anyone who has lived in a genuinely small town, as I have, knows, there are swings and roundabouts attached to any lifestyle choice. Governments govern for all of those who depend upon them, and that involves many balancing acts and many unpalatable decisions.
The closures of the Hall and Tharwa primary schools were two such decisions and they are decisions from which this government does not resile. Education dollars are finite. It is the duty of government to apportion them in a way that maximises the educational return. The education budget is not there to be used to support other aspects of the community's life, nor do I believe that most Canberrans would think it appropriate that governments allocate education dollars for the ulterior motive of, say, supporting a local shopping centre or creating passing traffic for local traders.
I have certainly no hesitation in acknowledging that the closure of the Hall and Tharwa schools has had significant impacts beyond the school gate. Those impacts certainly are regrettable and I certainly understand and empathise with the distress that some of those changes have caused. None of us much likes change and adaptation.
We do not like upheaval; we do not like uprooting; we do not like the normal, ordinary course of events to be affected or changed. But to move from a sense of regret to a position of asserting that we need, perhaps, to look more broadly in relation to some of our specific policy decisions and to some of the other outcomes really is a very significant leap for government.
I have had recent conversations, as I know have other members of the Assembly, most particularly with the progress association of Hall in relation to certainly community facilities, their maintenance, their enhancement, a future, a future life and an enhanced life and visibility most particularly of the Hall community. I have to say that I am most impressed by the energy, the focus and the determination by the Hall progress association to grasp the opportunities that their unique and beautiful village presents in terms of a new identity and a new future. I certainly do think that, out of the change that Hall certainly has had visited on it as a result of decisions that the government has taken, the community do understand that there are opportunities to be grasped and they are certainly looking to the government to work in partnership with them in relation to that.
I certainly commend the Hall and District Progress Association—I met with three of its membership, led by their president, Alastair Crombie, I think two or three weeks ago almost—for the most constructive discussions on issues that they wish to pursue, the sort of partnership and assistance that they believe the government might be able to provide in areas such as enhancement of the historic, heritage school facilities, landscaping, the potential for a men's shed, support for a heritage-listed museum, resurfacing of the tennis court and the games court and a refurbishment of perhaps the hub to some extent of Hall, namely, the area around the showground and the showground pavilion. Suffice it to say that I was most impressed by the attitude, the energy and the very positive focus of the progress association in relation to the need to identify, then to grapple with and grasp and to achieve, the opportunities that their particular situation presents them.
I might just say that the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services is currently working with project manager Hindmarsh, who are in charge of all the new work at the former school sites, to further develop proposals that have been negotiated, most particularly with the Hall community broadly but most specifically with the progress association, in relation to enhancements that we have agreed to fund and support in Hall.
Another issue raised by Mr Crombie—and I am sure it has been raised by the progress association with other members—is the concerns on the mixed commercial-residential development on Victoria Street known as Victoria Square and some of the difficulties that have been experienced there as a result, certainly, of the attitude and actions of the developer. I am in discussion with the Minister for Planning in relation to the steps that the government can take in relation to that particular development. It really is a continuing aggravation for the residents and, quite understandably, a continuing aggravation for the residents of Hall.
The progress association also raised with me the concern of the Hall community about some road safety and safety issues, particularly for pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists, with the imminent construction of the extension of Clarrie Hermes Drive to the Barton Highway opposite Kuringa Drive and I have ensured that the Hall and District Progress Association are actively consulted by the engineering consultants that are doing the work in relation to that particular development. I understand absolutely the issues of concern to the Hall community and we do need to ensure that their concerns are acted upon."