Page 2802 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 12 August 2015
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Mr Assistant Speaker, as you would know, the territory plan forms an integral part of planning in the territory. In 2015-16 the government will continue to support work to ensure that it remains contemporary and maintains the appropriate balance in development. We are currently undertaking public consultation on a number of variations to the plan. These include instilling the principles identified as part of the master planning programs into the plan.
An important variation I have recently tabled in this Assembly is territory plan variation 347, which will provide the stimulus needed to propel the University of Canberra to the forefront of higher education in Australia. This innovative initiative will stimulate investment and encourage a stronger connection between industry and research. This hub will be an attractive place for a number of businesses to interact in a mutually beneficial environment and will also complement the government’s commitment to renewing the urban environment and maintaining our vibrant cultural environment.
In June I indicated that we would undertake a review of variation 306 to ascertain whether this was still achieving the important principles it was designed to deliver. We have continued to monitor the impact of this variation since its implementation, and in consultation with industry and the community we will be examining ways to further enhance the desired outcomes.
The government has also released for public comment a number of variations in relation to the public housing renewal program. These variations cover a range of suburbs throughout the ACT and are a result of extensive community consultation and planning studies to help determine the appropriate development criteria for each site. These variations support the government’s urban renewal strategy as well as the government’s target to deliver 50 per cent or more of new housing through urban intensification.
Reducing red tape has been a priority of this government. In June the Legislative Assembly passed changes to make the progress of unit titling easier. This will provide greater flexibility and enable developers to plan more vibrant additions to developments and also ensure that fundamental aspects of these buildings, such as lighting, security and cooling systems, are not delayed through unnecessary red tape. This makes it easier to do business in the ACT and will benefit a lot of people. I am pleased that the ACT is at the forefront of reducing the burden on businesses and residents together.
Furthermore, the ACT is one of the first jurisdictions to actively engage with the commonwealth in relation to streamlining the approval process for EPBC assessments. With the commitment of $1.449 million in this year’s budget, this government has committed to implementing a new system to improve the efficiency of the approval process while also ensuring better environmental outcomes. This funding provides for three new positions to undertake important work in the assessment, survey and ongoing management of offsets. This will ensure that the process is managed efficiently and will provide a greater level of certainty for people undertaking
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