WRITTEN STATEMENT
IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THE FOCUS OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT THE 21st CENTURY WILL BE CHARACTERISED BY COPING WITH A FAST GROWING, HIGHLY URBANISED POPULATION AND FACILITATING OUR PRINCIPAL ECONOMIC INTEREST OF EXPORTING PRIMARY INDUSTRIES. A SHIFT TOWARDS HIGHER DENSITIES AND HOLISTIC MASS TRANSIT SOLUTIONS IN OUR CITIES WILL BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO FOSTER BOTH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. PARLIAMENTARY OFFICES WILL REMAIN IN CANBERRA, ALTHOUGH A STRATEGY WILL BE EMPLOYED TO DISTRIBUTE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE HUBS WITHIN THE CITY AND CONNECT THEM TO THE WIDER AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY THROUGH A PROCESS OF PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL TRANS-PROGRAMMING.
INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA IS A STATUTORY BODY WHICH WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN PRIORITISING AND IMPLEMENTING THE SOLUTIONS TO AUSTRALIA'S INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA BE SITUATED PROMINENTLY IN 21st CENTURY CANBERRA.
IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE PLANNING OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY OF THE 21st CENTURY WILL BE INFORMED BY LARGE SCALE CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE, INTEGRATION WITH THE ORIGINAL WALTER BURLEY GRIFFIN DESIGN, THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND NEW MEASURES TO LIMIT SUBURBAN SPRAWL. A NETWORK OF HIGH DENSITY, MIXED USE, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS COUPLED WITH AN INNOVATIVE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM TO LINK THE DISCONNECTED TOWNSHIPS WILL REINVIGORATE THE IDENTITY AND EXPERIENCE OF LIFE IN CANBERRA.
THESE MOUNTAINOUS STRUCTURES ARE DESIGNED TO INTEGRATE WITH THE REGIONS NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY IN BOTH SCALE AND FORM. THEY WILL INCORPORATE TERMINALS FOR THE NEW MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM, PROVIDE RETAIL AND DINING PRECINCTS, COMMERCIAL OFFICES, HIGH DENSITY HOUSING AND SPECIALISED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (IN THIS CASE INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA). THEY ARE COMPRISED OF A MODULAR CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO GROW ALONG THE ORIGINAL PLANNING AXIS OF THE CITY AND RESPOND TO THE DEMAND FOR HOUSING AS IT OCCURS.
AN ICONIC RECREATIONAL PRECINCT IS ALSO PROPOSED WHICH WILL PROVIDE A NEW MEETING PLACE FOR CANBERRA'S VISITORS AND RESIDENTS. A NETWORK OF INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE INSTALLED WITHIN THE BASINS OF LAKE BURLEY GRIFFIN TO ACCOMMODATE A DYNAMIC AND FLEXIBLE ARRANGEMENT OF SPACES AND FUNCTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LARGE SCALE CIVIC EVENTS SUCH AS FESTIVALS, PERFORMANCES AND EXHIBITIONS. EVERYDAY FUNCTIONS OF AN ENTERTAINMENT AND RESTAURANT PRECINCT AND PEDESTRIAN / CYCLIST BOARDWALK ARE ALSO MADE POSSIBLE. SUCH A CIVIC SPACE WILL PROVIDE A COMMON SENSE OF IDENTITY TO THE PEOPLE OF CANBERRA AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING AN ICONIC IMAGE BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
