Australian Capital Territory
City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency (City Renewal Authority) Statement of Expectations 2018 
Notifiable instrument NI2018–420
made under the  
City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency Act 2017, section 17 (Ministerial statement of expectations)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency (City Renewal Authority) Statement of Expectations 2018.
2	Commencement 
This instrument commences on the day after its notification day. 
3	Statement of Expectations
I make the Statement of Expectations as provided in the schedule.

4	Revocation
The City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency (City Renewal Authority) Statement of Expectations 2017 (NI2017-426) is revoked.

Andrew Barr MLA
Chief Minister
6 August 2018
Schedule
(see s3)

ACT Government 

Statement of Expectations 2018 

City Renewal Authority

This Statement of Expectations (the Statement) is made by the ACT Chief Minister in accordance with section 17(1)(a) of the City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency Act 2017 (the Act). In accordance with section 17(1)(b) of the Act the Statement will be given to the City Renewal Authority (the Authority) Board.
The purpose of this document is to set out the Government’s requirements and priorities in relation to urban renewal in the City Renewal Precinct (the Precinct), which spans Dickson, Northbourne Avenue, Haig Park, the City and West Basin. The Precinct is declared by notifiable instrument City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency (Urban Renewal Precinct) Declaration 2017 (NI2017-425). 
Significantly, this Statement forms part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to good public sector governance, and ensures effective management of significant land resources under the stewardship of the Authority. 
Vision and objectives
The Government’s 2050 Vision for Canberra ‘to be recognised as one of the world’s great innovation, creative and arts cities while remaining the world’s most liveable city’ gives expression and focus to the themes that will drive and shape Canberra in the future.
The ACT Government has further described the future of Canberra this way:
‘the path to the Canberra of the future is marked out by transformational urban renewal and innovation, underpinned by the light rail network and the city to the lake vision, all founded on design excellence. This cannot be an exercise in the bland and boring building of “boxes”; it has to be about creating buildings that make statements about this city and excite interest in those living and working in them or just walking past them. They should be destinations as well as useful and modern spaces. They should be able to stand the test of time and have people still talking about them in 50 years.’
It is this vision that underpins the role of the Authority as a statutory authority operating in conjunction with Government, established to:
•	encourage and promote: 
o	a vibrant city through the delivery of design-led, people-focussed urban renewal;
o	social and environmental sustainability; and
•	operate effectively, in a way that delivers value for money, in accordance with sound risk management practices. 
The statutory functions given to the Authority are deliberately broad so as to enable it to lead, manage, facilitate and undertake urban renewal projects in declared precincts, consistent with these overarching objectives. 
The significance of these responsibilities is reflected in the breadth and depth of experience, skill and expertise expected from, and provided by, the Authority’s Board. 
The Government strongly believes in the fundamental purpose of the Authority in delivering the range and quality of urban renewal outcomes necessary to firmly embed Canberra’s standing as a city of choice, a city of talent, a city of ambition that is open to all.  
Urban Renewal requirements and priorities 
From the commencement of this Statement, the Government expects the Authority to implement the following priorities for urban renewal within the Precinct. 
Cohesive urban renewal
The Government acknowledges that different areas within the Precinct have already been the subject of extensive community engagement and planning in relation to future development activity whether through ACT Government initiatives or those of the National Capital Authority. 
Recognising the work that has occurred to date, an immediate priority for the Authority is to finalise and obtain Government endorsement of a Precinct Renewal Program that includes the Renewal Delivery Strategy, the Renewal Implementation Plan and the City Renewal Authority Action Plan to deliver co-ordinated urban renewal within the Precinct as a whole. 
The Government expects that this work will: 
•	identify and recommend prioritisation and sequencing of major public infrastructure works within the Precinct;
•	be developed in consultation with key stakeholders; 
•	promote Government, stakeholder and community understanding of, and confidence in, the total program of renewal initiatives to be undertaken and delivered within the Precinct; 
•	enable, encourage and promote integrated renewal and development outcomes; 
•	be supported by clear timeframes in which identified renewal projects need to be delivered commencing with those of highest impact value;
•	be consistent with the Territory Plan and the strategic planning framework established under the Planning and Development Act 2007; and 
•	reflect and be consistent with the Government’s publicly stated policy commitments. 

Specific projects and initiatives
The Government expects the Authority will prioritise the following projects and works in the Precinct:
•	Civic Culture Centre - prepare precinct urban design and development framework; 
•	Haig Park – enliven and revitalise this important open space;
•	West Basin Project – progress Stage 2;
•	City Bus Interchange – deliver improvements to the interchange and promote functional interrelationship with the Light Rail Network;
•	Sydney and Melbourne Building – liaise with owners to direct and support revitalisation;
•	Northbourne Avenue – improve the quality of the landscape environment befitting the primary gateway to the National Capital;
•	Braddon and Dickson Centre – enliven and revitalise these key renewal locations;
•	Place Making – activation of public spaces;
•	City Centre Marketing and Improvement Program – liaise with levy payers and effectively manage and deliver the program.
Stakeholder relationships and community engagement
The Act enshrines the Government’s expectations that the Authority will:
•	consult and establish productive working relationships with key  stakeholders, including all levels of Government and other relevant bodies and organisations;
•	engage openly and meaningfully with the local community to inform both the design and delivery of works; and
•	promote cooperation, collaboration and coherent urban renewal with other key entities including the National Capital Authority and the Suburban Land Agency. 
To assist the Authority Board to implement this Statement and discharge its legislative obligations, the Government draws the Authority’s attention to: 
•	The Government’s commitment to the principles of ‘Open Government’, reflected in the guide Engaging Canberrans: A guide to community engagement which requires:
o	transparency in process and information;
o	participation by citizens in the governing process; 
o	public collaboration in finding solutions to problems; and
o	participation in the improved well-being of the community.

Collaboration with the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate
The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (the Directorate) has responsibility for providing administrative support and advice to the Chief Minister and the Executive on a wide range of matters including strategic planning, strategic policy regarding sustainability, built form and land development and management. 
The Government expects the Authority and the Directorate to continue to maintain a collaborative working relationship to ensure the provision of timely advice and support to the Chief Minister and the Government. The Government expects that the Authority Board will facilitate the sharing of information, where appropriate, on urban renewal priorities so that the Directorate can provide timely advice to the Government on related funding decisions.
Expectations for implementation
The Government requires a high degree of accountability and transparency from the Authority in relation to the decision-making of its Board and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and its engagement with the community and Legislative Assembly in keeping with the principles of ‘Open Government’.  
The Government expects the Authority’s Board and CEO to ensure that the Authority operates in accordance with all relevant legislation and legal instruments, in particular the following:
•	City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency (City Renewal Authority Land Acquisition) Direction 2017
•	Environment Protection Act 1997
•	Financial Management Act 1996 
•	Freedom of Information Act 2016
•	Planning and Development Act 2007
•	Work Health and Safety Act 2011
•	Public Sector Management Act 1994 
•	Territory Records Act 2002.

In responding to this statement, and in fulfilling its statutory responsibility to follow and support whole-of-government strategies, the Authority should reference and note the following policies, plans and strategies:
•	ACT Government Statement of Ambition 
•	Canberra’s International Engagement Strategy
•	ACT Government Infrastructure Plan 2011-2021 
•	ACT Planning Strategy 2012 and the outcomes from the review currently on underway
•	Transport Canberra: Public Transport Improvement Plan 2015
•	Transport for Canberra: Transport for a sustainable city 2012-2031
•	ACT Affordable Housing Action Plan (Phase III in particular)
•	People, Place and Prosperity: A Policy for Sustainability in the ACT
•	ACT Waste Management Strategy 2011-2025: Towards a Sustainable Canberra 
•	Weathering the Change – The ACT Climate Change Strategy 2007-2025 

The Government expects that the profile of the Authority will continue to develop as an open, responsive and engaged organisation that adopts a collaborative, people-focussed approach to the achievement of impactful urban renewal outcomes distinguished by design excellence. 
The Government expects that the Authority’s Board will continue to implement a robust and transparent decision-making framework that is supported by information management practices that:
•	actively promote the timely publication of information consistent with the Freedom of Information Act 2016, including its Open Access Information Scheme and the ACT Government Digital Strategy;
•	enable clear and timely reporting on performance across both financial and non-financial objectives and indicators; and
•	satisfy the records management responsibilities enshrined in the Territory Records Act 2002, as reflected in the ACT Territory Records’ Office Standards and Guidelines for Records, Information and Data.
The Government expects that the Authority will pro-actively manage risk through adoption and implementation of an active assurance, risk-based approach that satisfies AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 – which provides the internationally accepted basis for best practice risk management. 
The Authority should provide the Chief Minister in his capacity as responsible minister for the entity, with accurate and timely advice on significant issues in its core area of business. Significant issues might include but are not limited to: 
•	matters for which the Government is likely to be accountable in the Legislative Assembly; 
•	important operational or budgetary issues, including management of its responsibilities under the WHS Act; 
•	the Authority’s achievement of set housing targets; and 
•	matters related to its internal governance, including compliance with the Government’s framework for management of risk.