To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament:

The petition of certain residents of the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding areas of the State of New South Wales.

Draws to the attention of the House widespread opposition in the Canberra community to the NCA’s proposed Amendment 53 in relation to proposed development of the Albert Hall precinct due to:

• The failure of the NCA to properly consult with residents, local and national cultural groups, over fundamental changes to the Albert Hall Precinct (Amendment 53) in central Canberra
• The failure of the NCA to guarantee existing access by community and cultural groups from the ACT and surrounding areas to the Albert Hall which is Canberra’s “Town hall”
• The NCA proposal to surround the heritage-listed Albert Hall with inappropriate intensive commercial development
• The NCA proposal to encourage an eight-storey development in the precinct, on the lakeshore of “Lake Burley Griffin”
• The NCA’s failure to incorporate the results of a major traffic study into its considerations of the area.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to

• Require the NCA to withdraw Amendment 53
• Require the NCA to work with the ACT government to guarantee existing access for community and cultural groups to the Albert Hall
• Require the NCA to protect and maintain the heritage value of Albert Hall and its precinct and conduct a heritage study of the area.
• Require the NCA to consult directly with residents local and national cultural groups about options for any future development of the Albert Hall Precinct
• Require the NCA to wait for the traffic study before making changes to Flynn Drive and Commonwealth Avenue.