Page 727 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 5 July 1989
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The interesting thing here is that it was told by a member of the Interim Territory Planning Authority that no action would be taken until after the election. However, this decision and the decision by the Minister responsible for the ACT on the Yarralumla brickworks produced this appropriate headline on election day: "Polling Deal Stuns Follett". In the case of the brickworks deal, the Yarralumla residents clearly felt it right to appeal against the decision because it was in contravention of the ACT Land Planning and Land Management Act and of the principles of a caretaker Minister in that period. The matter was considered to be so important that the Canberra Times chose to place part of its editorial on its front page - something that it very rarely does unless it is a very important issue. I would like to read this to the Assembly, Mr Speaker. Unfortunately, there is no time for that, so I will have to pass it on to my colleague Mr Moore, who I am sure will continue this debate in the great style to which we are accustomed.
MR STEFANIAK (4.00): I do not know whether my remarks will be in the great style to which this Assembly is accustomed. Indeed, this might be a little bit of a hiccup, but broadly I would like to support the concept so far and indeed reiterate what my learned leader has said. We would like to see some affordable and simple appeal process so that people can appeal against ACT planning decisions.
I have listened with interest to what has been said. It reminds me of an incident when I was approached by a constituent with a problem. It is a recent problem of which maybe the Chief Minister is aware because I believe this lady saw her as well. She is rather coy and does not want her name published, so I will not give it, but she lives in Thoms Crescent, an area with some heritage value.
Mrs Grassby: What number?
MR STEFANIAK: I am not going to say that. Indeed, the residents of Thoms Crescent, I think it is fair to say, had some problems, and I believe there was a petition from residents which the Chief Minister received about a month ago. This is perhaps an ideal situation where little people in the community, who might be put off by appealing to the AAT or getting into a full court type of system, may be encouraged to take their problems to a simple appeal system which can look after them in a less stressful and less costly way than the avenues they have at present.
The problem was that many of the houses in Thoms Crescent were old weatherboard dwellings which in the past have been substantially renovated. Indeed, many have now got brick veneer around them, and indeed the lady who contacted me had a house which was originally weatherboard but which contained aluminium cladding. Her problem was quite simple. She wanted to make certain renovations and repairs to stop rising damp and to stop the chimney falling down by
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