The upkeep and maintenance of Canberra’s public spaces is being examined in a committee inquiry. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
The maintenance and upkeep of Canberra’s public spaces will be put under the microscope in a new committee inquiry following a wave of concerns raised by the community.
The provision of municipal services inquiry was, in part, sparked by a separate inquiry into Fix My Street, but committee chair Leanne Castley said separate issues are being examined.
“This inquiry offers an opportunity for Canberra residents, local businesses, and other stakeholders to provide feedback on the condition of public spaces and efforts to keep our city running and well-maintained,” she said.
“The existing Fix My Street inquiry is focusing on the Fix My Street software, whilst this new inquiry will examine the natural and built environment in our suburbs.”
Canberra is unique in that the ACT Government is responsible for providing services expected by both state governments and local councils.
This inquiry will focus on the upkeep of public spaces (such as playgrounds, sportsgrounds, local shops and verges), the effectiveness of waste removal services, the effectiveness of policies relating to street art and graffiti removal, and the appropriateness of the geographic spread of parks, playgrounds and active travel infrastructure.
Several Fix My Street inquiry submissions expressed frustrations with the upkeep of public spaces, particularly around timeliness and communication when an issue is identified.
The Council on the Ageing (COTA) ACT submission included many instances where it appeared upkeep complaints weren’t followed up on or completed.
“Been waiting four months for the streetlight outside my house to be fixed. Have put in multiple requests but have had zero response!” one comment noted.
“Tree trimming was never completed despite a reminder to ACT Gov and their assurance it would be,” stated another.
The Braddon Collective’s submission provided case studies of instances it felt the ACT Government had failed to communicate effectively regarding issues raised, such as with what it dubbed the ‘Midnight Hotel footpath issue’.
Submitter Amy Jelacic wrote that there had been concerns since at least May 2021 about vehicles driving and parking on the footpath outside the Midnight Hotel on Eloera Street in Braddon.
“The risk to pedestrians and others using the footpath was very high – e.g. a taxi reversed down the footpath as a resident was walking from the light rail station to Mort Street one evening and nearly hit this person,” she wrote.
“At other times the footpath was entirely blocked by parked cars.”
A Fix My Street request was lodged in 2021 to request bollards be installed, but the case was closed in July 2023 “with no action taken and no response given”.
Ms Jelacic wrote that the group had quarterly meetings in 2023 and 2024 with the City Renewal Authority and consistently brought up the issue.
Eventually, after a meeting in July 2024, it was resolved.
“As an outcome of this meeting, and following the relevant procurement processes, the bollards that were first requested in 2021 were installed in March 2025,” Ms Jelacic wrote.
“We still do not understand how or why the initial FMS request regarding this issue received no response. We have asked multiple ACT Government staff members from various areas about it and have never had this resolved.”
Ms Castley encouraged all community members to contribute to the inquiry.
“The Committee has undertaken to use submissions to the Fix My Street inquiry to inform this new inquiry, so anyone who made a submission about maintenance issues in their local area to the Fix My Street inquiry does not need to re-submit,” she said.
Submissions are now open for the municipal services inquiry and will close on 12 December. No schedule has been set for public hearings at this time.
