Page 2927 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 September 1994
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MR STEVENSON: I was not going to say it again. I was going to make the point that there is no way that I would make a verbal statement that this is a mickey mouse Assembly. Perhaps there are other ways of making statements about things. This Mickey Mouse tie was brought back from England by friends of mine who worked in this Assembly for a short while.
One of the other things that would be very useful, particularly for a weekly newspaper to do, is run the debate in the centre pages of the newspaper. You get people with divergent views and ask them to write up to, say, 2,000 words. Before you print you give opposite sides the initial arguments and ask them for a response. The following week you would have letters to the editor; the following week you could have a poll done in the community - possibly a newspaper poll, but that does not get you a cross-section too well. This would be a tremendous way to get good information on all sides of a debate.
One thing that works very well in Manly in Sydney is precinct groups. I know that Mr Lamont has taken on board the word "precincts". What you are doing is a good idea; but, of course, it is not the precinct groups that we talk about when we talk about Manly or when we talk about lots of small progress associations working with the government and the councils. In Manly they have some 12 precinct groups and they have regular consultation and meetings which at least one councillor is required to attend.
We could put in the newspaper all the information on what is going to occur in the Assembly, and this should be done in a weekly newspaper that is sent to all people in Canberra. It would list the current inquiries, the matters before the Assembly, the sitting times and all the rest of it. It is a very good idea.
Mr Lamont: Or we would have it on the ABC on the first Tuesday of the sitting period, as we do. Call and complain.
MR STEVENSON: That is not a bad idea, but you will find that a lot of people do not listen to the ABC and a lot do not read the Canberra Times. That is why it should be in a weekly newspaper.
MR LAMONT (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Housing and Community Services, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (3.58): I would like you, Mr Stevenson, to name those people that do not listen to the ABC. That would be the start of it. Madam Speaker, the Government, I think, has demonstrated consistent commitment to consultation with the community during its time in office. One example is the consultation process for the Territory Plan. Consultation on the plan occurred over two full years and concluded with a long and detailed hearing by the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee. Business, environmental and other community groups, as well as many individuals, acknowledged how open and transparent that process was. Another example was the consultation concerning the Gungahlin Town Centre development. This process was a totally open and transparent process from the start. I think it is interesting to dwell for one moment upon the issue of the public consultation on the Territory Plan. That went for a period of four years. From the time that the first draft Territory Plan - the concept issues - was put out, it was a period of over four years. It is appropriate that that be recognised.
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