Page 1410 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 26 September 1989
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and was considered and formally endorsed by the Canberra Development Board. The application was then referred to the National Capital Development Commission and various branches of the Department of Territories concerned with environmental protection.
The then Department of the Arts, Heritage and Environment discussed the matter with the National Capital Development Commission and the Department of Territories and advised Mr Da Deppo in early 1987 that the preparation of an environmental impact statement was not necessary to satisfy the objectives of the environment protection Act. I would like to emphasise that this matter was considered by the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment in consultation with the NCDC, Mr Speaker, and it was determined that the preparation of an environmental impact statement was not necessary.
Mr Moore: Extraordinary!
MR WHALAN: Mr Moore says that is extraordinary. Well, the due processes were followed.
Mr Kaine: On point of order, Mr Speaker; I am not interested in environmental impact statements; I am not interested in Mr Da Deppo; I am not interested in the department known as DASETT, or whatever the heck it was at the time. I am interested in three specific questions. Perhaps I can simplify it for Mr Whalan. I will waive the first two and ask him the last question as a simple, outright, straight question. What are the uses to which this land can be put, as specified in the lease agreement? Let us stop all the nonsense and just answer the question.
MR SPEAKER: Please answer the last question, Minister.
MR WHALAN: I am sorry, Mr Speaker. I am answering the question as asked.
Mr Kaine: You have not answered any part of it yet and you have wasted 10 minutes of question time.
MR WHALAN: Part of the proposed site lay within a one in 100 years flood contour, and a higher site on the other side of the river was identified as being more suitable. The NCDC considered that the previous recommendation of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment would still be valid for the new site, and point 6 in the schedule which I have tabled and which will be incorporated in Hansard relates to the documentation of that particular fact. Sixteen months of consultation and negotiation followed. In January 1988 the final lease conditions were agreed upon. All of these actions preceded self-government by more than one year. The lease conditions as to environmental controls were provided by the then conservation and agricultural branch of the ACT Administration. They provided controls seen as necessary to protect the river system from pollution and disease.
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