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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 9 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 3166 ..


MR WOOD: I read that account as well, and it concerned me and my officers. We do not believe that happened. In fact, as we review what we have been doing in recent times, we are very confident about the very large range of people and communities that we are involving in discussion.

It may be that the person concerned, who was a significant player-and still is, but not as chair of the group-notices a bit of a difference in what information is being received. We are nevertheless taking steps to backtrack and to talk to the person involved, and to others, about how information is disseminated. But I remain very confident that the communication is-and I would use the word-excellent. Other than that one report, all the comments I get support my view.

MRS BURKE: What will the minister do to guarantee that the promises made and the assurances given by the former Disability ACT officers to the community will be honoured?

MR WOOD: We will continue to do what we have been doing over the last year or so, and we will do it even more carefully in that respect. I repeat: the process is good. I meet regularly with people, and officers meet regularly with people. A large number of committees are working on this. We have established the Disability Advisory Council. There are subgroups in that, and there are very strong links to disability groups in the ACT. I am confident that the process is working well, but we will pay careful attention to one issue which has been raised.

Sustainability and development controls

MS TUCKER: My question is to the Minister for Planning. I did give his office some notice of this. It is in regard to sustainability and development controls. Minister, the government is on the record as supporting progress towards sustainability, and yet I have heard from constituents that the regulations make it very difficult to put solar hot water systems or photovoltaic cells on the roof when the roof faces the street.

Your office has supplied the answer to my question that asked whether this could possibly be true and, if so, what the problem might be, thank you, and I am pleased to note that a review of these unnecessarily restrictive guidelines is under way.

Mrs Dunne: Sorry, I do not mean to interrupt Ms Tucker, but I understand that Ms Tucker is asking the Chief Minister a question.

MS TUCKER: No.

Mr Hargreaves: No, she is not.

Ms Gallagher: It is Simon's.

Mrs Dunne: Sorry, I apologise in that case. I withdraw.

MS TUCKER: My question is: when will the reviewed regulations be in place, whether the intent is to remove all restrictions based on purely aesthetic grounds, to


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