My first job as the new President is to thank Nick Tsoulias and the rest of the retiring committee for their tireless work in keeping the TCC actively involved in the issues that concern Tuggeranong residents. My next job is to thank the TCC members who came forward to fill the committee positions for the next year. They are Vice President Glenys Patulny, Secretary Lynn Bott, Treasurer Max Flint and Public Officer Beverley Flint. Most of the other Community Councils in the ACT are finding it very difficult to get volunteers so it reflects well on Tuggeranong that our members are prepared to give up their time to serve our community. I have been a member since 2007 when my wife Carole and I moved to Tuggeranong after 3 years on the Sunshine Coast. At that stage, I didn’t know the TCC existed. However, after we had our first walk around the Lake and into Tuggeranong Town Park, I was keen to talk to someone about the poor condition of some of the public areas. Someone suggested that TCC monthly meetings were a good forum for airing concerns. So I went to my first meeting and two months later was Treasurer, a job that I held for the next 4 years. But I got to raise my issues with John Hargreaves who was then the TAMS minister and the problems were fixed. So, as a newcomer, I found membership of the TCC to be very satisfying. And I still do. Anyway, enough of the history. What are we doing now? There is no shortage of challenging issues for the TCC to work on. Here’s a few:
- Keeping jobs in Tuggeranong. Our population has been slowly declining and this will continue if jobs move out of Tuggeranong. Businesses will also be adversely affected. The future of FaHCSIA and its 1,000 staff is still unresolved. The TCC has already raised a petition (tabled in Parliament by Gai Brodtmann MP) calling for it to stay put. The TCC will continue to press this point.
- New residential development. The Land Development Agency has been consulting with the TCC for some years now on developing the land opposite Bunnings, now called South Quay. This will bring jobs and people into Tuggeranong. The TCC will be pushing for this development to be fast tracked.
- Car commuters will be well aware that we have some peak hour bottlenecks that need attention. We are working with ACT Roads to see if fixes can be implemented. It just takes time and money!
- Public transport. ACTION has just released its Network 14 proposal for revised bus routes and timetables to be introduced early next year. Public comment on the proposal is open until mid October. Some of the changes do affect Tuggeranong so the TCC will be getting involved.
- Lake Tuggeranong. The water quality problems of the lake are well known. The TCC will continue to work with other community groups and the ACT Government to improve the situation.
There are many more issues that concern Tuggeranong residents and businesses. If you have any that you feel are not getting attention or just want to get involved with a group of volunteers who want Tuggeranong to continue to be a great place to live and work , why not come along to our next monthly meeting.
Eric Traise