National Capital Authority
Authority Meeting A2014/5
Public Record
24 October 2014
Members Present
Ms Shelley Penn (Chair), Mr Malcolm Snow (Chief Executive), Ms Chris Faulks (Member) and
Mr Terry Weber (Member).
Historically, six Authority meetings are held each year. This was the fifth meeting for 2014.
This was the first meeting for Authority Member Ms Faulks. Ms Faulks has been appointed as a
part-time Authority Member for the next five years.
The following is a public record of the matters discussed at the Authority meeting held on
24 October 2014. As some matters are privileged or confidential, this record follows, but does not
completely represent the formal minutes of the meeting.
Public Relations Report
The Authority received and noted a report on recent media interest relating to the work of the
National Capital Authority (NCA).
Inform and Educate Strategy
One of the NCA’s functions as per the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management)
Act 1988 is to inform and educate Australians and visitors of the role and significance of Canberra as
the National Capital.
In October 2012, the Authority approved the Five Year Information and Education Strategy (the
Strategy), with accompanying annual implementation plans outlining education activities to be
undertaken from 2012 to 2014. The Strategy also recommended that activities be reviewed and
altered if required.
As a major review of the NCA’s education activities has not been untaken for some time, this is now
being undertaken to ensure the delivery of the most effective and efficient education activities into
the future.
The decision
The Authority noted the update of the NCA information and education activities and noted,
consistent with the Strategy, the review of activities.
National Perceptions Survey
National capitals provide the setting for national institutions, represent national values and are the
seat of government. Despite the importance of national capital cities, they can be faced with a poor
image and perceptions from citizens including potential visitors and residents.
In early 2013, the NCA commissioned a national survey of Australian’s perceptions of Canberra to set
the baseline for the five year Inform and Educate Strategy. In early 2014, the survey was replicated
by the ACT Government to understand the impact of the Canberra Centenary celebrations on the
perceptions of Canberra.
The decision
The Authority noted the 2014 Perceptions Report.
Pay Parking Update
Pay parking in Parkes, Barton, Acton and the Russell precinct commenced on 1 October 2014.
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The introduction of pay parking aims to prioritise spaces for visitors to the national institutions and
will assist with ongoing parking management on National Land. Early indications are that the aims
are being met in relation to the availability of car spaces within close proximity to the national
institutions. The other benefit of the new arrangements is that workers in the Central National Area
can now use their car during lunch break and be confident that they will be able to find a car space
quickly and close to their place of work when they return.
The decision
The Authority noted the current status and performance of the pay parking scheme since its
commencement.
National Capital Plan Review
One of the Authority’s functions is to keep the National Capital Plan (the Plan) under constant review
and to propose amendments to it when necessary.
The Authority has reviewed a number of iterations of the revised Plan. It is now at the stage where a
‘final draft’ of the revised Plan has been produced, taking into consideration Authority views,
commentary from peer reviewers and input from internal staff members.
The decision
The Authority noted the work on the Review of the Plan to date and agreed for the NCA to present
an exposure draft of the revised Plan to key stakeholders.
National Peacetime Service Memorial
National memorials are an important way to mark the contribution and sacrifice made by
extraordinary Australians to their country and to their fellow citizens.
The Canberra National Memorials Committee (CNMC) is empowered (by the National Memorials
Ordinance 1928 (the Ordinance) to approve the location and character of national memorials in the
ACT.
As land manager and Secretariat to the CNMC, the NCA is regularly approached by, and holds
preliminary discussions with, community or stakeholder groups wishing to develop memorials or
monuments within the National Capital.
The NCA has received representation seeking the commemoration of service personnel who have
suffered injury, or family members of those who have died during peacetime activities.
Through consultation with the proponents and discussion with the Department of Defence, possible
sites have been identified.
The decision
The Authority agreed to the NCA confirming with the proponents support for a particular site, prior
to recommending the site to the CNMC for approval.
Lake Burley Griffin
Lake Burley Griffin (the Lake) is Canberra’s centrepiece landscape feature with parks, playgrounds,
walking and cycle paths located on its edges as well as a number of national institutions located on
or near its shores. The 50th anniversary of the Lake has rekindled the debate over the
appropriateness of the Lake’s name.
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Following representations, the NCA has agreed to place the item for discussion on the next available
agenda of the CNMC. The Ordinance permits the determination of the name of a place on National
Land.
The decision
The Authority noted the inclusion of the agenda topic for the next available CNMC meeting.
Immigration Place
Immigration Place is intended to celebrate the central role of immigrants in the political, social and
economic life of Australia since 1788.
Immigration Place Australia’s proposal has been running in some form for over 10 years.
In December 2006, Immigration Place Australia (the proponent) proposed the building of an
immigration bridge between the National Museum of Australian and Lennox Gardens on the
southern shore of Lake Burley Griffin. The proposal was changed to a monument in the
Parliamentary Zone following an inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital
and External Territories (JSCNCET) Inquiry in May 2009.
Between 2 May 2012 and 14 June 2012, the NCA on behalf of the proponent conducted public
consultation to identify issues to be considered and addressed in preparing a design brief for use in a
future competition of the proposed Immigration Place monument.
The NCA has been working with the proponent refining a design brief for the monument. This brief
will be used in a design competition that will be launched in November 2014.
The decision
The Authority agreed to the Design Competition Brief and noted the process to select an appropriate
design for the proposed monument.
Amenity in the Central National Area
As part of implementing the Government’s response to the Joint Standing Committee on the
National Capital and External Territories’ ‘inquiry into the provision of amenity within the National
Triangle’, the NCA has undertaken an audit of the amenity available in Parkes, Barton, Russell and
Acton.
In conducting the audit, the NCA reviewed submissions to the JSCNCET inquiry and previous
consultation on pay parking. These submissions provided guidance as to the level of amenity and
types of services expected in Parkes, Barton, Russell and Acton.
The NCA also consulted with a number of key stakeholders and agencies in the area subject to the
audit. This included major land holders and property developers in Barton, various commercial real
estate agents currently offering commercial space in Barton, child care centre operators and facility
managers in the Parliamentary Zone.
The decision
The Authority noted the draft report on the audit of amenity in Parkes, Barton, Russell and Acton,
and agreed to the format and direction of the report.
Closed
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 11 December 2014.
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