Within a month of the entire Theatre Lane car park having been closed for the construction of the new Lyric Theatre, Liberal MLAs Elizabeth Lee and James Milligan brought forward a motion calling on the ACT Government to maintain at least 40 to 60 per cent of the Theatre Lane parking spaces throughout the construction period. The motion acknowledged that carpark closures will have a significant impact on the viability of many small businesses within the city precinct.

The motion also called on the Government to undertake regular, substantive and ongoing consultation with businesses and services affected by the closure of the car park, and to table quarterly updates in the Assembly on the progress of the construction works and the number of public parking spaces retained in the Theatre Lane car park. 

Chief Minister Andrew Barr moved amendments to the motion, asserting that the Government has been in regular and ongoing contact with business owners impacted by the construction projects, and reducing the frequency of requested updates from quarterly to annual.

Thomas spoke in support of the motion, highlighting the impacts of the closures on people with disability, small businesses, and medical practices whose accreditation requires the provision of accessible parking. He did not support the Chief Minister’s amendments, as he believed they did not reflect the true experiences of local businesses who have consistently reported very poor, or non-existent, engagement on the part of the Government about a range of construction-related interruptions. The Chief Minister’s amendments were passed with the support of the Greens, despite opposition from Thomas and the Canberra Liberals.

Thomas moved his own amendments calling on the Government to take urgent action to provide sufficient accessible parking spaces in or near the Theatre Lane car park to ensure compliance with disability discrimination laws, and to review parking changes to ensure the accreditation requirements of nearby medical practices are not impacted. Thomas’ amendments were supported unanimously.

The motion as amended by the Chief Minister and by Thomas was then passed without opposition.

A local business owner has brought forward a petition, sponsored by Ms Lee, calling on the Government to retain partial access to the Theatre Lane car park here.