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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 4 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 939 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Mr Speaker, while I am on my feet might I say that I apologised earlier to Ms Duff, and that still stands. But can I also say that I asked my staff to have a look at the Trades and Labour Council website, which is where the information came from that Ms Duff was president of the Trades and Labour Council at that time. I table two pages taken from today's website which shows Ms Duff still as president of the Trades and Labour Council. That is where the mistake, which I acknowledge and apologised for, originated from. I present the following paper:

Latham shops

MR BERRY: My question is to the minister for planning. The Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services, in its majority report on the development application for the Latham shops, recommended that "the prolonged period of uncertainty about the future of the Latham local centre be resolved as soon as possible, with full regard to the statutory process". Minister, will the statutory process follow the ordinary course and allow the independent Commissioner for Land and Planning to decide on the current development application for block 1 section 31 at Latham, the present shop site? Will you unequivocally rule out calling in that application for decision?

MR SMYTH: The Latham site will follow the statutory process. That process has a number of options. One is that PALM approve it; but, given that there are objections, it would go to the commissioner. The other option, of course, is that PALM recommend to me that I call it in. I will wait and see what PALM recommends.

MR BERRY: I have a supplementary question. Minister, what steps have you taken to make sure that the debacle at the Latham shops and the Aranda shops will not be repeated?

MR SMYTH: There have been many steps in both of those shopping centres in their quest for renewal. The assertion that it is a debacle may stem from one point of view that it has taken too long. On the other hand, you could say that the committee consultation has been fulsome. I think that everybody in this place would like to see is a result that sees those centres reinvigorated, ideally with some commercial activity in them, and serving the community. That is certainly what we will be working towards and that is certainly the intention of the draft variation.

Health and Community Care staff-outside employment

MR RUGENDYKE: My question is to the minister for health, Mr Moore. Minister, I understand that it is normal departmental procedure for Health and Community Care employees to be granted permission to partake of outside employment to further their work experience and expand their areas of expertise. I understand that there is a straightforward procedure whereby a form or written advice is simply submitted to the department for approval. Could you advise me how many Health and Community Care staff have presently been granted permission for outside employment under these arrangements? I realise that you may need to take that on notice, Minister.

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