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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (9 April) . . Page.. 775 ..

MS McRAE: My question is to Mr Humphries in his capacity as Minister for Planning. Minister, can you inform the Assembly why you have taken so long to complete and implement the new B1 guidelines?

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Ms McRae for the question. I do not believe that the process has taken exceptionally long, when one takes into account that the process has needed to be an involved one that includes some degree of consultation with stakeholders. Members of this place are very quick to condemn the Government for not having taken the trouble to talk to parties affected by decisions and to consult with people who may have an interest in particular proposals that are put forward.

As far as I am aware, there has been extensive work on those issues over the last few months. I have asked my department when I can expect to see the guidelines, and they have indicated to me that the guidelines will be available very soon. I maintain that it is important to do that process properly. I do not resile from the fact that, if the Government is not to be criticised in future for having got those things wrong, then it is important that there be a complete process of examination of the issues before those guidelines reach the Assembly.

The review was commissioned only early last year. I accepted at the time that the review should be a process involving not just the ACT Government but also the Commonwealth Government. In fact, it was funded in part by the Commonwealth Government through the local government development program. The study also considered in detail the weakness of recent developments and their impacts on adjoining residences and streetscapes. The other factor which had to be put into that equation and which was not there before was the work of the LAPACs, including their community value statements, which were created in the course of last year. The guidelines, as a result, will be greatly improved.

I am also aware that the Urban Design Advisory Committee has had an interest in those guidelines. I have attended a number of meetings of that committee where we have discussed the way in which those guidelines will work. I know that that is not acceptable to some people who want to know what is going on, but I maintain that my job as Minister is not to do it quickly but to do it correctly. That is why I have taken the time to do this properly.

MS McRAE: I ask a supplementary question. Minister, given that there is at least one project awaiting approval under the old guidelines, how will you counter the rising community perception I have been hearing about that you are stalling the implementation of these guidelines because you have come under pressure to allow projects to be permitted under the old guidelines? I am hearing that you are slowing it down to allow current proposals to be approved under the current guidelines. How will you counter that perception?

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