Page 3536 - Week 09 - Thursday, 23 August 2018

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


MR BARR: There is a deed of agreement; yes.

Planning—Woden

MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Planning and Land Management and relates to the government’s free kick building height bonus for Woden town centre. Minister, the planning committee unanimously called for the bonus only to apply where there was real community benefit like community facilities. Instead, the government promised a broader investigation into rolling out community benefit provisions across Canberra. Has this work started and when will it be finished?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Le Couteur for her question and her interest particularly in Woden and the opportunity for proponents around Woden to assist the community as we do development across the ACT as well as Woden. We do know that the Woden Valley Community Council has had some input on this as well. I have engaged with the directorate to begin that process. I can come back with some details about how that will go forward.

MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, given, as you said, the Woden community is concerned that the free kick height bonus will apply until the broader investigation is done, can you promise the community of Woden—and I guess of Canberra as a whole—that this work will be given priority?

MR GENTLEMAN: Certainly in the scheme of things we have announced it will go forward so it will be given a priority in order of its workload. We will ensure that we go forward with that in the not-too-distant future.

MR PARTON: Minister, what actual benefit will the community get from those additional heights?

MR GENTLEMAN: There is quite a bit of opportunity for the community in ensuring that proponents provide community benefit to the ACT, particularly in the Woden area. There is a lot of opportunity there for better urban open space, better amenity and other community benefits.

Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund—Hands Across Canberra

MS LAWDER: My question is to the Chief Minster. Chief Minister, last month you announced that your government will provide seed funding to Hands Across Canberra for the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund. How much money has the ACT government transferred to the fund?

MR BARR: The allocation is in the budget papers and it is $5 million. But let me correct an element of Ms Lawder’s question that is incorrect. Hands Across Canberra have not been granted the money. A new not-for-profit company limited by guarantee called the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund is the entity. The grant is governed by a three-year renewable funding deed.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video