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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (30 November) . . Page.. 3538 ..

MR HIRD (continuing):

The examination of a master plan for large areas such as Lake Tuggeranong is a sensitive one for the local members of this place. After all, we are the ones who have detailed knowledge of local issues and local personalities and we have a feel for what our local constituents think is appropriate for our areas. That is why we note on the second page of our report, after the two recommendations, that all of us in this chamber might like to give some thought to the role we can play in the master planning process. Mr Deputy Speaker, we did not make a recommendation on that matter; we simply noted the possibility of involving the local members of this place more in the processes in respect of these master plans.

Turning to the recommendations, Mr Deputy Speaker, one is a process recommendation and one is a content recommendation. The process issue speaks for itself. The minister needs to clarify the master plan process so that everybody in our community is clear about the way it works. The content recommendation addresses each of the 28 development sites listed in the Tuggeranong lakeshore master plan.

The recommendations, I am delighted to say, were unanimous. We may have been helped a little by the recent statements of the Chief Minister about limiting future development in areas shown as urban open space on the Territory Plan. Mr Deputy Speaker, we hope that you and your Brindabella colleagues will be pleased with our look at the Tuggeranong lakeshore master plan.

In tabling this report I must note once again the workload which is imposed upon my committee, particularly the secretary. As you know, we had to delay the preparation of the Gungahlin Drive report because it became physically and intellectually impossible for our secretary to do it justice in the time available. The committee, together with its sole secretary, has been busy preparing reports on matters such as rural residential development, the Lake Tuggeranong master plan and various draft variations to the Territory Plan. I note that today the house has given another reference to my committee.

We do not shirk our responsibilities; we take them seriously. Members will be aware that the committee has had five matters on the daily program this week alone. Of course, if the committee were adequately resourced, we would certainly be able to finalise these matters much more quickly. Despite outstanding efforts by the dedicated professional staff of the committee staff, particularly the secretary, Mr Rod Power, it is impossible at times for the committee to meet deadlines. We do apologise for that.

If the secretariat is unable to fix these problems, I may have to ask the Assembly for assistance in obtaining adequate resources. I have raised this matter with my committee colleagues on numerous occasions and we are unanimous in our agreement on this issue. I will not say any more on that.

It was a delight for us to see that part of local government involvement which occurs in other places being exercised in regard to the Tuggeranong lakeshore master plan following the involvement of the local members of parliament in the due process, which was very effective. I commend the report on the Tuggeranong lakeshore master plan to the house.

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