Page 1636 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 19 May 1993
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ADJOURNMENT
Motion (by Mr Berry) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Community Consultation
MR LAMONT (4.51): Madam Speaker, it gives me some pleasure to rise in this adjournment debate to address matters concerning a report that will be tabled in this Assembly tomorrow. While I have no intention of going through the absolutely magnificent report, which I am sure is awaited with eager anticipation by all members of this Assembly and by the community, one issue I wish to address is the matter raised, quite unfortunately, during question time today in relation to the concepts of community consultation.
Madam Speaker, as you would be aware, the concepts of community consultation mean many things to many people. Probably they mean least to the current leadership of the Liberal Party in this Assembly, for what they are proposing is that discussion papers not be circulated to enable information to be provided to the community and for discussion to arise and ensue out of such documents. What they are proposing is, one presumes, as they have demonstrated this afternoon in their education debate, that they make decisions and then put them out and ask people whether they agree with them. If people do agree with them, they are prepared to proceed, and if they do not agree, they tell them to go away. That appears to be the view that has been adopted by the Liberals.
It is in stark contrast to the publicly recorded consultation that has occurred with the community, within this Assembly, within the ACT Administration, in relation to consideration of a variation to the Territory Plan known as the draft Territory Plan. Again, I think it is important, as it is on the public record, that some of the high points of that process be outlined here this afternoon prior to the presentation of the full report tomorrow. I have no intention of outlining recommendations or conclusions contained in that report but - - -
Mr Cornwell: How can you pre-empt the debate?
MR LAMONT: I am not at all pre-empting that debate. The debate this afternoon is what I am responding to, and I think that is a quite reasonable position for me to address myself to in the adjournment debate. As an example of that public consultation in relation to variations to the Territory Plan, this Assembly saw tabled yesterday a variation for the Canberra Women's Bowling Club area in Kingston. We have seen over the last 14 months variations to the Territory Plan for a wide range of land use purpose changes, but they have involved quite definitive, explicit and well-documented cases of community consultation. The Land Planning Act requires it.
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