Page 2177 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 4 August 2015

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I hope, for all here, that that is where it ends. It was a difficult time for me. It was completely unnecessary. I believe it was made for political gain, as I said. It is very easy to use a position in this Assembly and the media to make allegations. You can say them a thousand times; it does not mean they are true.

I also take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for their support through this difficult time. I also make note of and accept that my adult son was found wanting, but that he is an incredibly bright young man. He has turned his future around, and I will not let Mr Hanson or any of the Canberra Liberals tear him down again from the successful young man that he has turned out to be.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services—Standing Committee

Report 8

MR COE (Ginninderra) (10.22): On behalf of the chair, and as deputy chair, I present the following report:

Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services—Standing Committee—Report 8—Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No. 309—Turner Bus Layover, dated 9 June 2015, together with a copy of the extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings.

I move:

That the report be noted.

I happily present this report into the Turner bus layover. It was an inquiry that commenced on 23 October. We held one public hearing, we received a couple of submissions and heard from six witnesses.

The report includes five recommendations. The committee recommended that the draft variation to the territory plan No 309 proceed, and I understand that the Minister for Planning will be tabling this variation later today. The committee also made recommendations around prohibited uses of land justified by temporary use provisions, landscaping and upgrades in the Turner parklands, and the availability of open spaces in areas of high density living.

During the public hearings we heard of some interesting ways in which the land was procured by the ACT government and, in turn, by the Australian National University, and of the land swap which occurred in order to facilitate this outcome. There were some vagaries about the actual status of the temporary car park and under what provisions that was actually allowed. It was, I believe, temporary or an ancillary use of the block. That is something that needs to be ironed out for future land uses that may indeed be confusing to members of the public, especially when it is technically unleased public land or urban open space.


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