Page 858 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 24 February 2009
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they do not deserve their share of this commonwealth funding. The fundamental point here is that the Greens and the Liberals do not need to do anything. There is no requirement for you to act. All you can do is block the ACT government and its attempt to work with the federal government to deliver this package. That is the only option open to the opposing parties. It is not there for your support. All you can do is oppose. That is the only option you have and I am calling on those parties to indicate their support for this package. (Time expired.)
Land—rent scheme
MR SMYTH: My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, in the 2008-09 budget, in budget paper 3 on page 68, two sums of money are identified for the land rent scheme: $1.1 million entitled “land rent scheme” and $40,000 for the land rent scheme update. Treasurer, how much of this funding has been utilised so far, to date, during 2008-09?
MS GALLAGHER: Funny that I do not have that page of the 2008-09 budget in front of me at the moment, but I will endeavour to have an answer to the question for the member by the end of question time today.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary question?
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Treasurer, while you are providing that update, as you are providing an acquittal of the expenditure so far on this scheme, will you also update the Assembly on how many people have attended the sessions at the CIT and any other future sessions that are planned. And how many people have actually built homes as a consequence of your scheme?
MS GALLAGHER: I will endeavour to get the answer to that question. It will involve liaison with the Chief Minister’s Department, which is running those sessions. We will see what we can do as soon as we can.
Economy—stimulus package
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Planning and concerns his decision to bypass the normal development application process for school projects funded by the federal stimulus package. Minister, can you tell the Assembly why you need to exempt these projects from the normal ACTPLA processes, given that only 20 per cent of school projects funded by the stimulus package need to commence by July, many schools have already prepared their design templates to use for their project and most of the projects do not require development applications anyway?
MR BARR: I thank the member for her question. I think it represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the time lines for the commonwealth stimulus package and the current public notification of third-party appeal time frames that are associated with developments of the size of school gymnasiums and halls I do acknowledge the point that the member makes in relation to some of the smaller projects. In fact, that is already covered off by changes made to the planning system and supported in this place unanimously towards the end of the last Assembly, for
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