Ms SACILOTTO - 2007-08-28
Almost 12 months ago you launched a public consultation process looking at the future direction of Darwin. Earlier today, you launched the first set of decisions by the government that will set out an exciting direction for Creating Darwin’s Future. Could you please advise the House of the decisions made?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I was delighted to be joined by so many members over lunch time to launch stage one of Creating Darwin’s Future. There has been substantial consultation about Creating Darwin’s Future and the directions we are taking. We have had wonderful forums and public consultations about the ideas that Darwin people have for the future of our capital city. At the time I said this will not be a talkfest’ it will lead to decisions and real plans. So today I launched the first of those real plans and decisions.
We have decided that what we need for Darwin are two strategies, two complementary but separate strategies: one for the CBD – a vibrant, dynamic part of our city that brings together the residential, the commercial, the entertainment and creates a lively 24 hour CBD; and the other part is preserving and protecting the suburbs, where most of us live. That focus will be on developing safe and peaceful suburbs, and building a stronger sense of identity in many of those suburbs. That work will be done over the next six months. So, it is very much a two part strategy for what we do with Darwin.
The centrepiece of today’s announcement was that, next door to this Parliament House, we will build a World War II museum commemorating the Defence of Darwin. We will give Darwin an undeniable claim. That was the major announcement today. Other parts of the announcement were that we will give the tropical city of ours a really strong focus, with a ribbon of green right around the CBD. We will expand existing places like The Esplanade, and also new parklands and areas like the Myilly Point parkland, the old hospital site, the old tank farm site, and establish a green ribbon right around our CBD – and there is already $6m allocated to the Myilly Point area. There will be new bike paths and parklands through the old tank farms at Stuart Park.
Another key decision announced today - and it has been talked for about a long time - is to do something about State Square. We are going to give it a complete revamp. We have talked about that for, well, I do not know how long now. The hows, the whys and the whats will be finalised in the near future. We put $250 000 into this budget to start the development of a master plan for State Square.
Another feature of what I announced today was that we will be linking the CBD - we have known about this, but to just restate - with a covered pedestrian walkway linking the Smith Street Mall with the waterfront. That work is being done and is well under way.
We will also put on display amendments to the planning scheme that will require new developments within the CBD to offer what is called an active interface with the street or the public realm. If you want to look at what is not an active interface, look at the old Woollies building in Knuckey Street – you have the footpath and a wall. There are some paintings on it at the moment, but that is a non-active interface; good design can create better interaction between the public and the buildings. We have an amendment to the planning scheme which will deal with that. We have added amendments so that all aboveground car parks in the future will be hidden or screened through good building design. Another strong thing coming from the forums was, ‘Do not let this place become car parks, high rise or whatever and, if they have to be there, let us see them screened’.
We will also, and importantly for a tropical city, be mandating awnings to new buildings in the CBD - and it is about time. It links with the Darwin City Council’s streetscape strategy through which their intention is to improve the overall look of the city.
These are exciting plans today: a new museum; the Defence of Darwin, to really recognise our place there; a revamp of State Square; a ribbon of green; and we are going to have new entrance statements to the city along Daly Street and Tiger Brennan Drive. Importantly, these are changes to planning so, instead of just talking about what we can do to create a more liveable tropical city, we are doing it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I was delighted to be joined by so many members over lunch time to launch stage one of Creating Darwin’s Future. There has been substantial consultation about Creating Darwin’s Future and the directions we are taking. We have had wonderful forums and public consultations about the ideas that Darwin people have for the future of our capital city. At the time I said this will not be a talkfest’ it will lead to decisions and real plans. So today I launched the first of those real plans and decisions.
We have decided that what we need for Darwin are two strategies, two complementary but separate strategies: one for the CBD – a vibrant, dynamic part of our city that brings together the residential, the commercial, the entertainment and creates a lively 24 hour CBD; and the other part is preserving and protecting the suburbs, where most of us live. That focus will be on developing safe and peaceful suburbs, and building a stronger sense of identity in many of those suburbs. That work will be done over the next six months. So, it is very much a two part strategy for what we do with Darwin.
The centrepiece of today’s announcement was that, next door to this Parliament House, we will build a World War II museum commemorating the Defence of Darwin. We will give Darwin an undeniable claim. That was the major announcement today. Other parts of the announcement were that we will give the tropical city of ours a really strong focus, with a ribbon of green right around the CBD. We will expand existing places like The Esplanade, and also new parklands and areas like the Myilly Point parkland, the old hospital site, the old tank farm site, and establish a green ribbon right around our CBD – and there is already $6m allocated to the Myilly Point area. There will be new bike paths and parklands through the old tank farms at Stuart Park.
Another key decision announced today - and it has been talked for about a long time - is to do something about State Square. We are going to give it a complete revamp. We have talked about that for, well, I do not know how long now. The hows, the whys and the whats will be finalised in the near future. We put $250 000 into this budget to start the development of a master plan for State Square.
Another feature of what I announced today was that we will be linking the CBD - we have known about this, but to just restate - with a covered pedestrian walkway linking the Smith Street Mall with the waterfront. That work is being done and is well under way.
We will also put on display amendments to the planning scheme that will require new developments within the CBD to offer what is called an active interface with the street or the public realm. If you want to look at what is not an active interface, look at the old Woollies building in Knuckey Street – you have the footpath and a wall. There are some paintings on it at the moment, but that is a non-active interface; good design can create better interaction between the public and the buildings. We have an amendment to the planning scheme which will deal with that. We have added amendments so that all aboveground car parks in the future will be hidden or screened through good building design. Another strong thing coming from the forums was, ‘Do not let this place become car parks, high rise or whatever and, if they have to be there, let us see them screened’.
We will also, and importantly for a tropical city, be mandating awnings to new buildings in the CBD - and it is about time. It links with the Darwin City Council’s streetscape strategy through which their intention is to improve the overall look of the city.
These are exciting plans today: a new museum; the Defence of Darwin, to really recognise our place there; a revamp of State Square; a ribbon of green; and we are going to have new entrance statements to the city along Daly Street and Tiger Brennan Drive. Importantly, these are changes to planning so, instead of just talking about what we can do to create a more liveable tropical city, we are doing it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016