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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2329 ..
Housing affordability
The move towards greater government land development will contribute to assisting housing affordability through two main mechanisms:firstly, by ensuring adequate land supply some pressure will be taken off land prices, bringing land ownership closer for many families and small businesses; and
secondly, the process will assist in the provision of adequate land and housing options at the lower end of the market. This "demand matching" approach need not affect general housing prices, the community's returns on its land assets or the efficient and sustainable use of greenfields land.
Probity and accountability will apply to all of the entities undertaking the planning and development functions of the territory. The bill imposes firm discipline on the activities and business affairs of the authority, the council and the Land Development Agency. In particular, the agency is required to obtain the executive's agreement to enter into joint ventures and must report on a regular basis. The bill contains detailed provisions governing the management and financial operation of the agency and its board.
In recognition of the fact that this bill provides for the introduction of a new system for the planning and land management in the territory, there is a requirement that the act be reviewed in 2008.
Consequential amendments
Of course, there will be a substantial number of consequential amendments to the Land (Planning and Environment) Act and other legislation affected by the passage of this bill. I will be presenting a bill for these amendments before this bill is debated by the Assembly.These consequential amendments will provide for powers and functions to be transferred to the appropriate entities established by this bill and for the repeal of certain provisions, such as the existing direction power. The current operations of the Kingston Foreshore Development Authority and the Gungahlin Development Authority would, as I have already indicated, be rolled into the new Land Development Agency.
As a result of the proposed enhancement of the development assessment system, it is also proposed that the role of the Commissioner for Land and Planning would be absorbed into the Planning and Land Authority. The authority will have the principal power to determine development applications and the council will provide additional expert advice in the assessment of significant applications.
Mr Speaker, the government therefore proposes, as a component of later consequential legislation, to make provision for the Planning and Land Authority to amend decisions on development applications and leasing issues but only in response to a request for review by the applicant. Such a review could occur in response to new information, or to a proponent adjusting a proposal to address concerns expressed by the authority or the community. There would therefore, in many cases, be no need to resort to a formal appeal. As part of this proposed change there would be appropriate rules about informing people who were involved in the original commenting and assessment process.
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