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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (4 June) . . Page.. 1886 ..

MRS DUNNE (continuing):

asked for many other things as well, but these were the principal things to do with what I am asking today. The proposal I make today is to change back the classification of block 53 in Kippax from precinct "a" to precinct "b".

My proposal is aimed at giving solace to the Kippax and West Belconnen community. It is aimed at giving them some certainty that somewhere in the future the block of land that is their preferred option for the site of the library will be given to them as a library. I acknowledge the undertaking made earlier today by the minister not to sell any of the land in Kippax before certain planning processes about libraries and community facilities are completed in September. But what will happen then?

By retaining the classification of precinct "b", the land will be less appealing to sell, given its location. It will have less value, and some certainty will be created in the community that where they would like to build their library they may eventually get one. It would not increase the potential value; it would make it more likely that the land remains within reach of the community.

Both these proposals are small in the great scheme of draft variation 158, and they have been made to address the particular needs of particular sectors of particular communities. They do not change in any way the overall impact of the variation made by the minister, but they do address the particular needs of the community. I commend the motion to the house.

MR CORBELL (Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations) (6.08): Mr Speaker, variation 158 to the Territory Plan concerns the commercial B2C land use policies for group centres. It is the end result of a long process of strategic review of the policies applying to all of Canberra's group centres. This review commenced in 1999 under the previous Liberal government, in response to a major review of Canberra's retail system and the release of the former government's retail policy statement, Striking a balance.

The draft variation was released for public comment in April 2000, concurrently with draft variation No 163 to the Territory Plan that related to a specific major development proposal for the Kippax group centre.

Following consideration by PALM of public comments received in relation to both draft variations, the previous minister for planning referred both draft variations to the Assembly committee for inquiry. The committee called for further submissions and held a number of public hearings between November 2000 and March 2001. I was a member of that committee, and I am very aware of the details and the issues raised during that investigation.

After deliberation, the committee tabled its report No 72 on both draft variations in June 2001. The committee's report was unanimous and made a series of recommendations which were vital in determining the final form of variation No 158. Unfortunately, the previous government procrastinated and did not respond to the committee's recommendations during the term of the last Assembly. That did not mean to me that we should go back to square one so, when I became planning minister, I took the step of ensuring that we provide a response to the committee's recommendations and move forward with the tabling of the variation.

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