Political Party Intentions for West Basin Received by Lake Burley Griffin Guardians
The Guardians wrote to the ACT political parties to seek an understanding of their intentions for West Basin. We have responses from those numbered 1-5 that includes a response from an Independent and nothing from the others.
- Liberal Party ACT; JeremyHanson
- Liberal Party ACT; Denise Fisher
- ACT Greens
- Marea Fatseas Independent for Kurrajong
- Sustainable Australia ACT
No response was received from the following groups:
- AustralianLaborPartyACTBranchand a letter to the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr
- CanberraCommunityVoters
- CommunityAllianceParty
- AnimalJusticeParty
- Liberal Democratic Party ACT
- Like Canberra Party
- Sex Party ACT
- Vote Canberra Party
1. Liberal Party ACT — Jeremy Hanson
The Canberra Liberals view Lake Burley Griffin as a beautiful and iconic part of Canberra. Lake Burley Griffin’s foreshore should not be sold of piecemeal as proposed by the ACT Labor and Greens Government. We do not support the Labor and Greens Government’s current plans to sell off West Basin simply to generate income to pay for its tram project.
The Canberra Liberals focus for growth in residential apartments is in Civic and the town centres, not the lake. In order to achieve this aim, we have repealed the Lease Variation Charge in these locations to prevent the ad hoc development of apartments across Canberra, including West Basin.
If elected in October, the Canberra Liberals will instigate a Legislative Assembly Committee Inquiry to inquire into the options to both preserve and enhance Lake Burley Griffin. Members of the community will be invited to make submissions and the National Capital Authority will be invited to participate.
There may be opportunities in the future for better use of the lake foreshore but this must be considered as a long-term holistic plan to enhance the lake. The Canberra Liberals will work with the Lake Burley Griffin Guardians and other interested members of our community to ensure that Lake Burley Griffin remains a treasured asset for the people of Canberra and Australia.
Jeremy
Jeremy Hanson | CSC MLA | Leader of the Opposition | Member for Molonglo | Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister for Health, Police and Veterans’ Affairs
| ACT Legislative Assembly | P: 02 6205 0133 | F: 02 6205 3017
| W: http://www.jeremyhanson.net
2. Liberal Party ACT — Denise Fisher
Statement from Denise Fisher, Liberal for Ginninderra to a Guardian, 19 August 2015
I have checked with Alistair Coe, our opposition spokesman for Urban Development and this is our policy for the City Lake area including West Basin:
The Canberra Liberals do not support what the Government has proposed for the City to the Lake Development. Whilst we are not fundamentally opposed to limited development on the site, we believe that we should be concentrating additional commercial and residential development in the existing City and Town Centre boundaries. Given the declining state of City Walk and Garema Place, what we need is a consolidation of the existing areas, not a further expansion of the City.
Further to this, the Liberal Opposition brought about a series of inquiries and investigations regarding questionable transactions related to the City to the Lake project. Late last year, the Liberals started asking questions about these transactions in Assembly Committee hearings and it has now resulted in an ACT Auditor-General’s inquiry and a retired former Commonwealth Auditor- General doing a governance review of the LDA.
In the short to medium term, the Canberra Liberals would welcome improvements to landscaping, the path network and perhaps additional amenities, such as a café or two, but we do not think opening up another precinct is needed.
I hope that you will share this approach with your fellow West Basin supporters.
All the best – and please stop and say hello if you see me at Jamison or Hawker, Kippax or Charnwood or doorknocking in the ‘burbs!!
Denise
Vote No 1 Denise Fisher Liberals Ginninderra
3. ACT Greens
Caroline Le Couteur (For Murrumbidgee)
Putting the Community First
Dear Ms Ramsay,
Thank you for giving the ACT Greens the opportunity to respond to the issues raised at your recent meeting. As ACT Greens planning spokesperson, I am pleased to respond on behalf of all ACT Greens candidates.
Our statement in response to your resolutions is below:
The ACT Greens support infill rather than urban sprawl into our precious bush. All developments should be high-quality, energy-efficient and sustainable. Given the 3/ha of surface car park at the West Basin, some mixed use development could be considered. Any development must ensure good public access to the lake and should contribute to improved water quality. Parkes Way should provide good pedestrian and cycling access instead of being a barrier.
Thorough community engagement is essential to ensure any development meets expectations for Canberra, for locals and as the national capital. The ACT Greens support national heritage listing of the national area and an independent Integrity Commission for the ACT (or ICAC).
Thank you again for taking the time to contact Greens Should you have nay additional questions about our policies or positions, the ACT Greens. Should you have any additional questions about our policies or positions, the ACT Greens policy platform can be downloaded here: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/actgreens/pages/5215/attachments/original/1470636645/ACT_Greens_policy_platform_2016.pdf
Warmest regards,
Caroline Le Couteur
Planning spokesperson
ACT Greens
4. Independent for Kurrajong — Marea Fatseas
Marea Fatseas
Independent for Kurrajong
Policy on West Basin
West Basin plays a significant role in the landscape setting for Canberra as the national capital. Any development in West Basin needs to respect and enhance the natural landscape setting and remain a public space that is designed for the enjoyment and recreation of Canberra residents, national and international visitors.
There is no rationale for the ACT Government to undertake residential and commercial development in West Basin in the foreseeable future as:
- It will create a “donut” of development, with West Basin further diminishing investment and activity in Civic, which is already suffering the impacts of the Canberra Centre and recent decentralized activities in Braddon.
- Development on West Basin under the current plans, would create cold, overshadowed and windswept public areas to the south of the proposed apartment buildings, and further erode the quality and amenity of the public realm along the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore.
- Additionally, development along the lake foreshore, most notably the land adjacent to Commonwealth Avenue will directly impact on the significant views and vistas, both into and out of the west Basin precinct.
- The proposed development leaves little or no naturalistic public realm currently enjoyed by many Canberrans and there is no confidence that current planning policies, regulations and governance arrangements for land development will create a high quality outcome. Look no further than the very poor public realm provided in Kingston Foreshore, especially the concrete “bathtub” around the Harbour.
In response to the resolutions at the public meeting organized by the Lake Burley Griffin Guardians on 27 July 2016, Marea supports the following approach:
- The ACT Government should suspend the proposed commercial and residential developments at West Basin and undertake an independent review of ACT land development and planning processes with a more effective, efficient and publicly interactive process.
- The ACT and Federal Governments should finalise the National Heritage listing of Central Canberra to protect Lake Burley Griffin and its lakeshores by Commonwealth heritage listing along with the preparation of a master plan and management plan of Lake Burley Griffin and all of its lakeshore landscape.
- An Integrity Commissioner should be appointed to investigate the links between ACT politicians and officials, past and present, and development interests.
Authorised by Marea Fatseas
Independent Candidate for Kurrajong
September 1 2016
PO Box 5050, Kingston, ACT, 2604 Ph: 0412 335 207, or 0475 516 029
Listen. Engage. Represent.
5. Sustainable Australia — John Haydon
Sustainable Australia (SA) is a party from the political centre which aims to secure an Australia and ACT which are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. SA is not in favour of the proposed City to the Lake project. We are in favour of environment restoration, not degradation, and want to prevent overdevelopment.
The ACT government is especially prey to the influence of developers for a number of reasons and Canberra desperately needs an ICAC. The current government has also become addicted to land sales as a revenue source. Its need for land tax revenue has led to an over focus on apartment complexes. We seek to ban property developer donations to political parties.
Sustainable Australia (ACT)’s planning policy includes restoring independent planning processes so as to protect Canberra’s unique urban and natural environments, restoring the NCA and ACTPLA with a genuinely independent mandate, and strengthening the National Capital Plan. We would significantly increase funding to community councils. See www.VoteSustainable.org.au/act for detailed information.