The ACT Government will urgently explore options to facilitate the development of the Gungahlin cinema, which the region’s residents have expected for more than a decade.

Michael Pettersson, ACT Labor MLA for Yerrabi, today introduced the motion to the ACT Legislative Assembly.

“I am pleased that the ACT Government has today reassured the community that it remains committed to delivering a cinema in Gungahlin,” Mr Pettersson said.

In 2012, the ACT Government selected a site on the corner of Efkarpidis Street and Hinder Street, Gungahlin, for a cinema development. After a competitive tender process, the site was released to Gungahlin Lifestyle Pty Ltd.

“Since then, the project has been plagued with avoidable delays,” Mr Pettersson said.

In 2017, legal action between two competing cinema operators in 2017 delayed the project. In 2020, the ACT Planning and Land Authority approved the site for a two-storey building with an upper-level cinema, requiring the developer, Krnc Group, to commence building works by 8 April this year. In May, the Authority wrote to the developer stating that the development application had lapsed as the agreed works had not commenced. To date, the Authority has not had a response from the developer, or received evidence of commencement, Mr Pettersson noted.

“The Planning and Land Authority has worked diligently to support the developer in their endeavours, but they’ve now been stonewalled,” Mr Pettersson said. “To date, the developer hasn’t been operating in good faith, but it’s not too late to change tune and get this cinema done.

“The people of Gungahlin deserve more than metal fencing and a barren patch of dirt – they deserve a fully operational cinema in the heart of the Town Centre.

“I look forward to hearing more from the ACT Government regarding the next steps that they will take to secure the development of the site.”