Page 2064 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 15 May 2013
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addressing the issues that Mrs Jones raised, both in her motion and in the comments she has made today.
As Mr Corbell foreshadowed, I had flagged a further amendment to the motion. There was some dispute about how much of that information can be provided. Certainly, in light of the relatively detailed information that Mr Corbell has provided in his comments, particularly about the current status of each site, I think it is best that I not move that amendment today. I appreciate that the minister has brought forward as much information as he could, and I think that has given both Mrs Jones, who moved the motion, and potentially the rest of the community a good update on the status of many of the sites. A lot of the questions that I had sought to resolve through my amendment have been addressed in that.
It is perhaps frustrating for some that not all of the information is available until a later time. Specifically, information about the types of contaminants that are present, how much exists and where the site is at in the remediation process should be available to the public, but given the comments Mr Corbell has made about the EPA processes, we will have to simply accept the information that has been provided thus far.
As a general principle, as a concept about the community right to know when it comes to a range of chemical and pollutant issues, that is a view that the Greens ascribe to very strongly. We have done for a long time, and I think these debates have taken place over some decades regarding the community’s right to access information in these areas. I thank the minister for giving the information that he did today.
That said, I would certainly encourage those people who are lessees of the sites to be focused in redeveloping these sites. It is a source of frustration for the community. It is a waste of valuable land in some ways. Having regard to the pressure we have for redevelopment, and with the state of some of the local shopping centres which are very dependent on having a community around them to provide the customer base, the redevelopment of some of these sites is very valuable in re-energising those areas and certainly boosting the ongoing viability of some of those local shops and shopping centres.
I am keen to see these sites redeveloped as quickly as possible. Measures such as waiving the lease variation charge are an important part of that. I thank the minister for the information he provided today, and I welcome the fact that Mrs Jones brought this debate forward to the Assembly today. We will be supporting the amendment from Mr Corbell.
MRS JONES (Molonglo) (4.50): To conclude, and in speaking to the amendment, giving locals ordered suburban centres that they deserve and the peace of mind that would ensue from as speedy as possible development of these derelict sites are very important.
I thank the minister for the details he has provided in the amendment and in his speech about the state of sites in general. I will look in detail at my list of sites and the information that has been given and potentially come back with more questions. I am
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