Page 623 - Week 02 - Thursday, 18 February 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MR BARR: I do not believe so. The long preamble to Mrs Jones’s original question indicated the government’s response to date, but I will seek some further information from Access Canberra. The government, for obvious reasons, does not breach the law of the territory.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! I would like to hear Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Chief Minister, what is the government’s policy regarding shipping containers in front yards? Do they require development and building approval?
MR BARR: In relation to temporary structures associated with construction, I do not believe so; but I will have that confirmed for the member.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, what agency or agencies are responsible for policing these lease compliance issues?
MR BARR: Access Canberra has responsibility for regulatory enforcement in the territory.
Planning—Northbourne Avenue
MR SMYTH: My question is to the Minister for Capital Metro. Minister, TAMS has provided advice to the Capital Metro Agency that when planting new trees on Northbourne Avenue, trees should be “no more than 2.5 metres high” and that “eucalypts establish and perform better when planted at a smaller size”. In public comments made last year you stated that you would plant eucalyptus mannifera trees on Northbourne Avenue at a height higher than 2.5 metres. Minister, why are you disregarding the advice from TAMS?
MR CORBELL: We are not disregarding the advice from TAMS but we are having a close look at what we can do to ensure that tree coverage along Northbourne Avenue is maintained to the greatest extent possible and that new plantings are of a size and scale that are suitable for the avenue. The trade-off here is that these types of trees, and eucalypts in general, grow faster when they are planted as very, very young stock.
However, the trade-off to that is that you essentially have tube stock that is very small for a longer period of time, whereas you can plant more established trees. Whilst they will not grow as fast, they will nevertheless prosper and grow and they will provide more immediate amenity sooner. So it is a trade-off. I am very pleased to say that the advice from Capital Metro and from the winning bidder, Canberra Metro, is that it is feasible and suitable to plant advanced tree stock of a minimum of four metres and that is what we propose to do in relation to the tree replacement strategy along Northbourne Avenue.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video