Page 3088 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
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MS BURCH: We have looked to Access Economics—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Let’s hear from the minister.
MS BURCH: That is where we have got our modelling from around costing the impact of these measures—the impact of these measures on the cost of childcare.
Mr Hanson: Is that in the Hansard, that look?
MS BURCH: You can watch it again tonight if you like, Jeremy.
Planning—Casey
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Planning and concerns the development at Casey and the retention of trees and vegetation. The 2004 concept development plan for Casey identified almost 3,000 trees that would qualify as protected trees under the Tree Protection Act. Minister, why did you wait until 2009 to declare Casey as an area covered by the Tree Protection Act when many trees would no doubt have been removed prior to that date?
MR BARR: Given that I was not a member of the Assembly when the initial assessment was undertaken it is difficult for me to have acted as Minister for Planning prior to that time. Of course, these matters in relation to estate development have a process. They involve the interaction of a number of agencies. Most particularly in relation to trees, obviously, the conservator has a particular view and makes recommendations to the Planning and Land Authority, who in turn make recommendations to the minister of the day. That interfaces also with those other agencies of government that are directly involved with the delivery of land development.
In terms of when I personally responded, it would be difficult for me to have done so while I was not a member of the Assembly, or indeed in that portfolio. If the intent of the member’s question is to try and elicit some response from me but I have sat idly by for a number of years on this matter, that is not the case. I certainly reject that particular element of the member’s question.
Mr Smyth: But you sit idly by on so many things, Andrew.
MR BARR: If the little Muppet Show sound effects man over there could just be quiet for a moment, I will complete my answer, which is to say that in matters of estate development clearly there is a complex trade-off that is required to meet the needs of a growing population and a growing city, to balance greenfield development with residential infill and to balance the need to protect and enhance high quality woodland. A number of decisions have been taken by government in recent times to protect such woodland. I would refer you all to central Molonglo and a decision that was taken there to protect what was a high quality area of woodland, the Kama woodland, and to provide buffer zones around that particular area of high quality woodland.
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