Jon Stanhope’s plan to close down all the government shopfronts except one in Civic is ill-conceived and another attack on services to Canberra’s families in the suburbs, said Alistair Coe, Shadow Minister for Urban Services.
 
In a media release dated 14 May 2010, the Chief Minister said:

The consolidation of 17 separate shopfront locations will also result in major improvements to the delivery of ACT Government services for all Canberrans.

“This announcement is an absurd attack on services for Canberra rate-payers and clearly shows the government is unable to prioritise core-services,” Mr Coe said.  “This proposal will make it more difficult for Canberrans to access even the most basic of government services.  
 
“Why should Canberrans lose core services because Mr Stanhope and Ms Gallagher can’t manage the budget? Why should they shut up shop on families in the suburbs when those same families are paying more in tax and more in rates than ever before?
 
“The Government’s plans to close down shopfronts and consolidate services into one city shopfront will put even more demand on parking and make it even harder to gain access to basic government services.
 
“This announcement also contradicts the budget delivered only two weeks ago that allocated $100,000 towards a feasibility study for a Gungahlin Canberra Connect Shopfront.
 
“Once again, this government is making the families in the suburbs pay for Labor’s waste and mismanagement.
 
“Mr Stanhope and Ms Gallagher need to backtrack from these statements, apologise to Canberrans and guarantee core-services will not be diminished to pay back for ACT Labor’s reckless spending,” Mr Coe concluded.