Page 3494 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 23 November 2021

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MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Parton.

Mr Parton: on relevance. The question was: has there been any discussion about reducing the speed limit down to 30 or 20? I am not sure that he is being relevant to the question.

MADAM SPEAKER: I believe he is being relevant to that question.

MR STEEL: There has been a recommendation—I think it is a World Health Organisation recommendation—for 30 kilometres per hour. Our view is 40 kilometres an hour is appropriate at this time. That is the consistent speed limit that we have applied across our town centres and group centres now for some time. We have extended that as appropriate based on the actions that have been outlined in the road safety strategy and the NCA and ACT government draft urban gateway strategy, which is now being finalised following consultation with the community.

Planning—ACT Planning System Review and Reform Project

MR PETTERSSON: My question is to the Minister for Planning and Land Management: can you update the Assembly on the ACT’s planning system review?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Pettersson for his interest in planning for the future of the ACT. The Planning System Review and Reform Project is making excellent progress. As members would be aware, I released a suite of project direction papers in November last year. These papers set the scene for the drafting and implementation of the next stage of planning reform. These papers won an award earlier this month from the Planning Institute of Australia for improving planning processes, and I extend my thanks to the hard-working staff across EPSDD who contributed to these papers. I acknowledge their passion in making sure we have a great city to live in into the future.

COVID, of course, interrupted some of the stakeholder consultation, but I am pleased to advise the Assembly that stakeholder working series is back up and running. The group of community and industry representatives is providing valuable policy feedback to inform our legislation.

We are also building on input from our traditional custodians of this land. We want to respect the knowledge, customs and traditions of the traditional custodians, through the planning system as well. So the Dhawura committee made up of Ngunnawal representatives have provided this input. I look forward to releasing a consultation draft of the new legislation early next year.

MR PETTERSSON: Minister, what outcomes will the review deliver?

MR GENTLEMAN: The planning review will deliver a planning system that provides certainty and flexibility, better outcomes for our buildings and public places and a connection between our strategic planning and localised outcomes. The planning system will also be better able to respond to our changing world. At the


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