From The Chronicle 21 May 2013
It is disappointing that our local politicians cannot agree among themselves on an increase in the size of the ACT Assembly. As the ISCCC said in its submission to the recent inquiry Into this matter, despite the best intentions of our elected members there were too few of them and the electorates are too large to properly represent their constituents’ interests. Also, all of the Molonglo Labor and Greens MLAs are Ministers which means that we are not getting the backbench representation from the government parties, in addition to the Opposition, that is usually part and parcel of a democratic system.
However we intend to press on, by holding a series of meetings at which you can meet your local member, Minister or otherwise, and question them about local issues that concern you. The first of these will by held by the ISCCC at the Eastlake Club in Griffith at 7pm on Thursday 30 May 2013 (full details at www.isccc.org.au) at which Shane Rattenbury MLA will speak to us and take questions. You can also email your questions to us on info@isccc.org.au
Finally, after years of inaction, we have a solution of sorts to the mess that has become parking in the parliamentary triangle. At the time of writing, ISCCC is still absorbing the detail of the new pay parking arrangements but we are worried that they will just shift the problem further on to the adjacent inner south residential suburbs which are already struggling with spill-over parking from office precincts. There remain many other issues to resolve including lack of bus and retail services in the parliamentary triangle but at least we appear to have a way forward which is sure to improve visitor access to our great national cultural institutions.
Gary Kent
Chair