Page 2561 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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in Canberra at Ginninderra High School before entering the building industry. Mr Peter Cheng will bring to the board significant experience in the business migration areas. Mr Cheng, himself a business migrant, is joint managing director of Montone Paints and Wallpapers, and also has extensive contacts in South-East Asia through importing and exporting interests. Professor Ian Ross is the deputy vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, and he brings to the board his extensive experience in the university of research and high technology.
Development Applications
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Minister for Industry, Employment and Education. Having regard to the number of development applications said to be blocked in the system, and excluding the former Canberra Times site, would the Minister briefly identify any significant development approvals in the Canberra City division given since 11 May 1989 or now contemplated by the Government.
MR WHALAN: There have been some statements recently which have suggested that there has been something of a bottleneck in approvals and that this is related partly to the self-government legislation and the related abolition of the National Capital Development Commission, the establishment of the two planning bodies of the ITPA and the NCPA and that interim period awaiting the establishment of the Territory plan and the national plan for Canberra. There is something of a misconception in relation to this, and I think it is very important that the community understands that, notwithstanding some of the constraints which have been applied by those circumstances which have come together at a particular point in time, there has been a very substantial list of approvals of development projects in a range of areas. Also, recently that material has been gathered together, and I can arrange to have it made available to members of the Assembly.
Just to give some idea of the approvals, notwithstanding the constraints which have applied, I point out that in Belconnen approval has been given to major projects to the value of around $116m; in Tuggeranong and Woden the figure is about $63m; and in central Canberra, $82m. These figures do not include the bulk of housing developments also approved during this period. I would have to stress that the values of developments approved are estimates only. However, they are indicative of the scale of approvals that have been given since May 1989.
In addition, approval has been given to major planning policy variations such as for Barton and Kambah, and the Government is also expecting to consider a range of further proposed variations to planning policy shortly. In other words, planning and development is not under the influence of any sort of a dead hand, as might be suggested. I would
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