Page 8 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 16 February 1993
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MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I think there is some conflict in what Mr Moore has said, in the sense that he has asked whether appeal mechanisms have been cut short under the Act. The Act makes that provision; the provision was followed. I do not understand his comment that it was cut short. The process has been scrupulously followed. I have obviously backtracked on this issue in recent days and checked the process carefully, and I believe that it has been properly done.
As to preparing amendments, there is no question at this stage that we are preparing amendments. Obviously, we look at the application of the Land (Planning and Environment) Act and consider whether we need to amend it in a variety of ways. Indeed, I am bringing up some measures later on, but I do not believe that they relate to this matter. The Act is a major document. It is being worked under and amendments are always liable to be considered.
MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question. When are you going to give the people of the ACT the right to appeal on design and siting issues? In this case, people have obviously missed out.
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, the question of appeals has been part of a long and continuing debate. The Government has established, with the support of most members of this Assembly when the legislation went through, an appeals mechanism which very broadly says that, if a proposal meets certain specified criteria, an appeal does not apply. In practice, the appeals mechanism under that Act is very considerably expanded from the situation formerly, which, as Mr Moore knows only too well, was practically non-existent. Obviously, I believe that there are limitations. On the one hand there are some people who say that there must be unlimited appeals; on the other hand, some people say that there should be no appeals at all.
I believe that at this stage the Act provides an equitable arrangement where people know that, if they approach an issue and it meets the very carefully established guidelines and requirements, then it proceeds. I might say that I am getting quite a flow of letters from people who are feeling the impact of having to advertise proposed changes on their land because they go beyond those guidelines. There is some angst about that, but that is something I will also bear.
Joint Venture Housing Development - Braddon
MR DE DOMENICO: My question is to the Chief Minister and I also refer to the article on the front page of the Canberra Times. The article refers to the alleged involvement of the chairman of ACTEW in a joint venture housing development with the ACT Government Housing Trust and includes comments from her colleague Mr Wood, who said:
Certainly the Chief Planner or the Secretary of the Department should not be involved in development. Whether Mr Phillips should be frozen out of development is another matter.
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