The election's almost here! Can you see the signs?

The ACT election is less than 70 days away – you can see it. Literally, there are signs everywhere.

One of the signs is on Athllon Drive.

Problem is, it’s been there for a while. Like, years.

A lot of years.

“The project, first promised in 2016, would see the duplication of 2.4 kilometres of the well-used road between Sulwood Drive and Drakeford Drive,” Region reported on 14 June.

The Canberra Liberals’ Nicole Lawder could hardly believe the progress, but she reckons she could identify the reason.

“It must be an election year,” she observed.

“After working hard to do nothing for eight years on the duplication of Athllon Drive, the government is finally going to make it look like they are doing something. Of course, they did put up a great big sign about it years ago.

“This government has been all talk and no action on Athllon Drive. Except a sudden flurry of announcements and great big signs before each election.”

As of 10 August, there was still no indication that the duplication would occur, other than the well-worn, very durable and now graffitied sign.

It’s not the only project to suddenly have a flurry of activity – well, another announcement, at least.

On 31 July, five ACT Government schools were picked as launch sites for a new $4 million government program that will provide free breakfast and lunch three days a week throughout the school year.

Is it right to be cynical about this project as well?

If you’ve been paying attention, yes.

As Region reported, it was first promised in the lead-up to the 2020 ACT election, and the pilot was announced in March 2023 at a cost of $1.4 million.

Note that 17 months after the pilot was announced, it’s now a $4 million project. It seems everyone’s a victim of runaway cost-of-living expenses these days.

Are there more projects that are suddenly now a priority when a you-know-what is in the air?

Good question.

In the 2024 ACT Budget there was much fanfare about new community health centres.

In September 2023, the government announced the new South Tuggeranong health centre would be built in Conder.

“This new facility is the first of four new health centres, with another three coming to the Inner South, North Gungahlin and West Belconnen,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.

“They will provide localised multidisciplinary care with a focus on preventive care and advice, early intervention, and the management of chronic illness.”

Sounds good!

On 16 June, nine months later, in a pre-Budget drop, the government announced there was funding for the centres (hard to build them without that, it should be noted, but obviously worth another release).

Is there a sting in the tail? Well …

As Region‘s Ian Bushnell reported: “The new health centre was first promised in 2020 along with four others across Canberra – Molonglo, South Tuggeranong, Inner South and West Belconnen. Only Molonglo has been delivered.”

He further reported: “Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said there would be more announcements soon on the other sites in the preferred locations of Griffith in the Inner South and Ginninderry to cover West Belconnen.”

More announcements! Who saw that coming?

Canberra Liberals health spokesperson Leanne Castley noted the health centres, like many other infrastructure projects, were taking too long to materialise.

Yes, too long to materialise, but the timing of the announcements and the anticipation is the point. The delay, as they say, is a feature, not a bug.

Any others? Sure are (thanks for asking).

A few weeks ago, Region reported that the new Gungahlin Tennis Facility in Amaroo was a step closer, thanks to the approval of the development application.

However …

“A ball may not be struck until 2026, more than five years after Labor first promised it ahead of the 2020 ACT election.”

Oh.

At the time, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the facility would be three years in the making (2021, 2022, 2023 … nope … didn’t happen), with construction taking 18 months once a development application was approved.

This announcement was a big deal. They pulled out all the stops. Even ‘Our Nick’ was there.

“I always had Lyneham [tennis courts] growing up; I’m excited to see a new facility,” Kyrgios said at the time.

Yes, Nick, we’ll be excited to see the new facility, too. But at this rate, you might play it on the Masters tour.

Of course, the government and its defenders will say, “but COVID”, or whatever.

Yes. We all remember COVID. Which first struck the world in January 2020, so these promises were made during the pandemic because the election was in October 2020. And when these promises were made, the expectation was that they would be delivered in the term of government that is about to expire (the Amaroo tennis facility being the perfect example).

And we haven’t even touched on light rail. Maybe it’ll arrive in Tuggers to coincide with the Athllon Drive duplication.