Canberra Liberals promise new convention centre

The Canberra Liberals have promised to build a new National Convention Centre at the current Civic Pool site.

The ACT Government promised last year that it would develop a convention centre precinct, including an indoor, 7,500-seat entertainment pavilion. The current centre is at full capacity.

Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee, however, criticised the ACT Government for their “inaction”: she said they had discussed a convention centre in the city for more than a decade, but not delivered one.

The Liberals say their project would be delivered in stages. The first stage would be 20,000 square metres. Costing around $510 million, would include banquet facilities for more than 600 people, divisible exhibition and meeting spaces to accommodate multiple events at once, and a theatre/auditorium. The convention centre would then expand to 30,000 square metres to meet growing demand.

“Canberra, as the nation’s capital should have a world class convention centre and infrastructure to host major conferences, meetings and other corporate events with capacity for multiple events at a time,” Ms Lee said.

The convention centre, Ms Lee said, would bring more business events to Canberra; generate up to $200 million annually for the ACT economy; benefit the tourism, hotel, and hospitality sectors; create thousands of jobs; and enhance Canberra’s reputation as an international city.

A Labor spokesperson said the Canberra Liberals’ announcement was “an inferior cut-and-paste” of their plan for a Convention and Entertainment centre.

“Labor’s project includes an 7,500-8,000 seat entertainment centre that supports live music and major indoor sporting events. The Liberal plan omits this important feature. Labor’s view is that a new pool needs to be built before the existing pool site is re-developed. This will ensure continuity of pool access for swimmers. The Liberal plan for a two-stage build will be disruptive and make it very difficult for event organisers to hold their events amidst noisy construction activities.”

Independents call for ban on gambling donations

Independents for Canberra is urging all election candidates and parties to support a ban on political donations from the gambling industry.

The proposed amendments to the ACT Electoral Act target ACT Labor’s 1973 Foundation and the Canberra Labor Club, both of which Independents for Canberra says have ties to the gambling industry.

The ACT has one of the highest concentrations of poker machines in the world, and 20 per cent are in venues affiliated with the Labor Party, Thomas Emerson, leader of Independents for Canberra, noted.

“We’re hearing concerns that certain political parties in the ACT are too closely connected to the gambling industry to make clear-headed decisions on protecting our community from gambling harm,” Mr Emerson said.

Despite agreeing to ban poker machines between 10am and 2am, the Legislative Assembly, in its final sitting week, “kicked substantive gambling harm reform further down the road”, Mr Emerson said.

“This week, the Chief Minister baulked at reforms to tackle gambling harm on the basis that people can always just cross the border and lose their money in NSW,” Mr Emerson said. “That’s like opposing climate action in Australia on the basis that carbon is being emitted freely in China. It’s not exactly courageous political leadership from the ‘most progressive government’ in the country.”

Independents for Canberra also want to know why Attorney-General and gaming minister Shane Rattenbury announced further community consultation on proposed restrictions to gambling advertising, given South Australia restricted gambling advertising in 2013, and the ACT has considered them since last year. (Two years, to be precise.)

“ACT Labor is committed to further reducing gambling harm in the ACT,” the party’s spokesperson for gambling, Dr Marisa Paterson MLA, said.

Labor plans to reduce the number of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) by 500 every four years, aiming to leave only 1,000 machines by 2045.

Dr Paterson said she did not move those amendments in the Legislative Assembly this week due to “fundamental disagreements” between all three parties over reducing EGMs. Labor opposes an ACT Greens proposal for a Central Monitoring System (CMS), which would cost $180 million and lock in 3,500 machines for the next two decades.

However, Labor will take their policy of fewer EGMs to this election, as well as introducing a mandatory cashless gaming system and supporting clubs to transition away from gaming machine revenue.

“Labor is the only party with a policy to remove more gaming machines from our suburban
clubs,” Dr Paterson said. “Labor is proud to take our comprehensive policy package to the ACT Election in October so the people of Canberra can have their say.”

Canberra Hospital infrastructure

A new Yamba Drive entrance will be built at the Canberra Hospital, near the old Emergency Department.

To make the area more accessible and welcoming, health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said, the area will include a new bus stop, seating, a wheelchair collection point, art and sculptures, landscaping, shade cover, and an upgraded courtyard for staff.

The foyer of Building 2 is being updated with a Veterans Lounge, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lounge, gift shop, and café.

“These works will deliver a more inviting space for patients and visitors, integrating seamlessly with the new aesthetic of the growing hospital,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

The work is expected to take one year to complete.

Patients and visitors should use the southern multistorey carpark and the new Main Entrance and Emergency Department, at the southern end of Hospital Road, off Bateson Road, or the temporary pedestrian entrance on Yamba Drive. 

For more information, visit www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au/locations-and-directions/canberra-hospital-getting-here-and-getting-around.

Non-government school funding

Five non-government schools will share $3.8 million of ACT Government funding to upgrade infrastructure, as part of the Better Schools for Our Kids Program – Non-Government Infrastructure Upgrades Program.

The schools are St Benedict’s Primary School; Stromlo Forest Anglican College; the Islamic School of Canberra; Taqwa School; and Blue Gum Community School.

The money will be used to build new classrooms, refurbish staff facilities, construct a multipurpose hall, and build a new preschool. 

“The ACT Government is committed to supporting all schools in the ACT to deliver the best possible educational environments for children and young people,” education minister Yvette Berry said.

Flying foxes

The ACT Government has released a plan to protect the grey-headed flying-fox.

Environment minister Rebecca Vassarotti said the bat plays an important rôle in pollinating and dispersing seeds across native forests and woodlands. The bats have a maternal colony in Commonwealth Park, but decreased habitat, deaths from backyard netting and powerlines, and climate change have made them vulnerable to extinction.

The Native Species Conservation Plan, developed with advice from ecologists, wildlife carers, and bat experts, aims to protect local habitat, monitor population sizes, and minimise mass mortality due to extreme weather.

The government has already banned non-wildlife-friendly netting to protect these bats.

“The bats should be able to co-exist harmoniously with the ACT community, and that requires increased awareness and education, so we can be well prepared if the species migrates into Territory land,” Ms Vassarotti said.

“I look forward to putting this plan into action so Canberra can mitigate potential future threats and conserve these vital native species in our environment.”