Page 1842 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 30 May 1990
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made a decision about betterment tax some time ago, and that was in anticipation of the introduction of the new planning law, when it is approved by this Assembly. It has not yet been approved but, in anticipation of that law being passed by the Assembly, the betterment tax was made effective from a specific date, and that was to prevent people avoiding that tax. Notwithstanding the recommendation of the Priorities Review Board, Mr Speaker, the Government sees no reason to change that decision that has already been made or to move away from the system of purpose clauses for leases to a zoning system, as I think it also suggested.
As I also pointed out yesterday, the Government will refer all the recommendations made by the Priorities Review Board in relation to planning and land administration to the consultative process that we have already established to consider proposed planning and land administration legislation. That process is already in place. The recommendations of the Priorities Review Board will simply be referred to that process so that when we get a conclusion it will have taken into account all of the available views, including those of people who are currently commenting on the Government's earlier proposals on this matter.
Small Business
MR BERRY: My question is directed to the Minister with the wind up, Mr Humphries. I know he is concerned about being exposed in relation to a lot of these matters, but this is an important question for small business in the ACT.
Mr Jensen: Stop waffling and get on with it.
MR BERRY: When you are a Minister, Norm, you will be able to respond. Has the Government done anything to study the impact on small businesses located near school sites which might close?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank the member full of wind for his question. The answer is the simple one that I have given already twice before today. I do not think it bears repeating. I think the rest of us have got the message pretty well, finally; obviously Mr Berry and his colleagues have not. Engaging in a study of particular communities that might be affected by particular actions obviously - - -
Mr Berry: Gary, have you done anything generally?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, Mr Berry is well aware of the sorts of impacts that the closure of five schools had on the community at the end of 1988. He is not an idiot. I assume he has some idea of what sort of impact those sorts of things have. Obviously it is a matter that the
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