Page 3027 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992
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MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to present a petition similar to that presented by the Chief Minister.
Leave granted.
MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I present a petition from 73 residents requesting that public toilets be provided at the Deakin shops.
MR HUMPHRIES: Madam Speaker, I seek leave to present a petition from interstate petitioners.
Leave granted.
MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you, members. I present a petition from 131 petitioners praying that the Assembly ban the distribution of X-rated video material and the possession of child pornography in the ACT.
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Building Standards
MR KAINE: I would like to address a question to Mr Wood, the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. I draw Mr Wood's attention to a report in the Canberra Times of Sunday, 15 November, in which he warns builders, developers and architects that poorly designed homes will no longer be approved just because they meet the design and siting regulations. If that is an accurate report of what Mr Wood said, can he please explain to the Assembly how he is going to hold builders, architects and developers to some unspecified building standards that they are unaware of and cannot be expected to comply with?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I will get Mr Kaine a copy of the media release I made on that matter. It has been a concern to me, and for many, I think, for a long time, that, while lots of our medium density homes and our standard homes fit all building guidelines and all design and siting requirements, they are, nevertheless, not appropriate to today's needs. You have only to drive around the newer parts of Canberra to see a demonstration of what I say. The situation has not particularly changed over the years. There are many houses of poor design in older suburbs that are now well and truly hidden by trees.
I note what Mr Kaine says about imposing requirements that are not set in place. This is an area that I am taking up with the Planning Authority, and I will be doing so increasingly with the building industry because I realise the concerns they have to know what can be approved and what cannot be. It may be that we need to amend some of our design and siting requirements. It may be that we should carry out, as I have been doing now for a year, a program to try to educate the builders to be more aware of current needs. I can assure you, Mr Kaine, and the builders that our requirements will be quite clear and will be well understood.
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