28 June 2010

Half a million Canberrans or bust

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times has the intriguing news that our leader Jon Stanhope wants a population of half a million:

Mr Stanhope said he believed continued population growth was essential to keep the territory’s economy growing and to provide the enhanced level of services that Canberrans were coming to expect. ”I’m not dreaming of a big Canberra, necessarily,” the Chief Minister said.

”But I’ve long had a view that a population of about half a million is optimal for the national capital.

”In the context of enhancing the city, the city’s liveability and in delivering services that the people of Canberra want and have a right to expect, we need more population.”

Mr Stanhope said a greater population, within realistic limits, was needed if Canberra was to be ”self sufficient” and enjoy the same medical and social services available in big cities like Sydney and Melbourne.

”We would become economically more self-sustaining were the population larger,” Mr Stanhope said.

That’ll keep the real estate industry in clover for some time to come.

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Strange that most of the cities that come high in world livability ratings are on the smaller side but our pollies never see that – almost none are over 2 million, many are comfortably less than 1 million with properly funded infrastructure, decent town planning and are well managed. Pretty much everything the ACT seems not to have and expensive to boot (arguably most Australia cities). Things seem run for the developers, Property Council and their ilk. Only thing that explains some of disastrous planning decisions in recent years. Wonder how long the Greens will continue to support Labour?

georgesgenitals8:32 pm 28 Jun 10

Hey Stanhope (or advisors) if you’re reading this: we need the ultimate in environmentally friendly transport. Airships.

You know it makes sense.

Oi Ryoma, don’t lump all us boomers together! We’re as diverse as you Xers and Yers.

Agreed. Stanhope has been in too long and continues to push more of the same. Have a look at the plans for the Molonglo Valley – yet more car-dependent housing, no mention of light rail or any other sort of viable transport that would help support higher density housing.

When are any of the Baby Boomer generation politicians (minus the Greens) going to come out of their 1970’s mindset around so many of these issues?

The Libs (just like their Federal cousins) seem only able to attack without offering anything better – for heaven’s sake grow up,and offer some real vision.

Fully agree with Al. Come on Stanhope – at least PRETEND to be something other than the Property Council’s sock puppet…

stanhope is a twit. not much more one can say. twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. and i don’t mean it in a good way.

It’s all good to have these grand ideas Jon, but if the 330,000 people who live here already can’t get a bus to run on time then what hope do we really have?

Gungahlin Al5:30 pm 28 Jun 10

“Catherine Carter’s getting worse than an orchestra of vuvuzelas.”

LOL – B flat buzz! Straight to the pool room.

merlin bodega4:55 pm 28 Jun 10

He is a hoot. In an interview about this on ABC radio this morning he said that more people living in Canberra would make the bus system better. Is that why he keeps creating more far flung suburbs that have a route so long that you need to take sandwiches for the trip?

Goose!

Stanhope wants 400,000 before 2020 ?!?

Is this because Canberra would then need more reps that can’t do anything because of Stanhope red tape?

Have to wonder how many more lives it will cost for Stanhope to achive his dreams

Dead right, Al. I hear on the radio that Catherine Carter of the PCA is all cock-a-hoop with Stanhope’s announcement.

That woman’s getting worse than an orchestra of vuvuzelas. Why does the Canberra media give so much space to these nutters?

georgesgenitals2:23 pm 28 Jun 10

Julia Gillard is a lot like Jodie Foster, only hotter.

Be interesting to see how she turns out.

Gungahlin Al1:05 pm 28 Jun 10

Gillard at least realises that external ‘growth’ is not a sustainable proposition for Canberra or the Nation.

A great shame that both Stanhope and Seselja are both pursuing the Property Council’s mantra of population growth at all costs.

Narrows down the primary voting options for people then doesn’t it?

If there’s anything that could, and should, put a final nail in the Stanhope coffin, it is this ridiculous policy.

bring back the fireworks, people will come

Totally agree with the comments above (#1,2,3) especially #2 post as we would ‘enjoy the same’ traffic problems that Sydney has as well and we know people aren’t going to catch public transport because it isn’t up to scratch for most residents. On the bright side, we might get an Ikea!

If Stanhope knew what year it was he would know that if infrastructure and housing planning was treated seriously then Canberra would already be over 400,000 now.

Might have to make some of the main roads two lane?

Might be a good idea to install the infrastructure for half a mil BEFORE the city reaches that number. Then again, thats LONG TERM planning and not NEXT ELECTION planning.

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