Page 531 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014

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Canberra on this specific matter. I also inquired in relation to the question by Mr Smyth. It was a supplementary about the vacancy rate across the University of Canberra’s accommodation types.

I am advised by the University of Canberra that there will be no price increase or impacts for students in relation to the decision that is essentially a transfer of management of Arscott House from the student association to the university. The vacancy rate across the five different types of accommodation at the University of Canberra, which includes Weedon Lodge, Cooper Lodge, Arscott House and some other campus accommodation, is currently sitting at 27.5 per cent.

Planning—section 63

Energy—solar

MR CORBELL: Yesterday Mr Coe asked me a question in relation to section 63 in the city. First of all, Mr Coe asked me whether the leaseholders of section 63 are now liable to pay late fees or whether an extension had been provided. I can advise the Assembly that the lessee of section 63 is not in breach of the building completion covenant of the lease. Information regarding compliance by lessees is generally a matter between the territory and the lessee and not subject to public disclosure. However, the lessee is not in breach of the building completion covenant of the lease.

Mr Coe also asked me whether or not the lessee was paying late fees and, if they were, under what legislation or regulation would a waiver be made in relation to any late fees. I can advise the Assembly that the lessee is operating in accordance with their lease provisions and therefore there is no liability.

Also yesterday, Mr Wall asked me when did the concept of developing large-scale solar in the ACT first become government policy. It is a matter of public record that the government first decided to develop large-scale solar capacity in the ACT in September 2008 when the government decided to seek proposals from suitably qualified companies for a capital grant to construct a single 30-megawatt solar power plant in the territory.

Following an expression of interest process, which found that the capital grant would be inadequate to build and operate a single 30-megawatt large-scale solar facility, in September 2010 I announced that the government had decided that a reverse auction process would be used to award a feed-in tariff for 40 megawatts of large-scale solar capacity. This led to the development and subsequent passage of the Electricity Feed-in (Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation) Bill 2011.

Ms Lawder asked me in a supplementary when potential proponents of solar power facilities were first identified. I can advise the Assembly that the potential proponents of the large-scale solar auction held in 2012 and 2013 were first identified on 10 April 2012 when proposals closed for the pre-qualification stage of the solar auction. Forty-nine proposals were received in that stage, of which 22 were invited to submit proposals in stage 2 of the auction.


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