Page 459 - Week 02 - Thursday, 22 February 1990
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Planning Authority to encroach on those matters which are properly the concern of the Territory Planning Authority.
The Authority will prepare and administer a plan in respect of land in the Territory. It will keep the plan under constant review and propose amendments to it where necessary. In performing these functions, the Authority will be provided with advice from an ACT planning advisory committee. In addition, public consultation will be an integral part of the plan-making process. The planning Minister will have an important role in the preparation of the plan. For example, he or she may, before approving the plan, direct that further consultation be carried out, or require an inquiry or assessment to be conducted into any particular matter. But, ultimately, the Assembly has the final power to disallow the plan, in whole or in part. Once the plan is adopted, the ACT Government will be bound by it.
The Heritage Bill provides for the protection of ACT heritage, including Aboriginal heritage. It establishes an ACT Heritage Council, describes the process for compiling a heritage register and specifies the means by which the register is to be included in the Territory plan. Inclusion of heritage places in the plan will ensure the integration of planning and heritage issues. The heritage register will undergo all the procedures which the draft plan must follow before finalisation, and will then, as part of the plan, receive the same status and protection as that afforded to the plan. In addition to the listing of heritage places in the register and thus in the plan, the Heritage Bill will, by means of a separate listing process, provide protection for Aboriginal artefacts and movable items which have heritage significance.
It should be pointed out at this point that the Heritage Bill goes beyond the question of land planning and use, and encompasses the ramifications of artefacts other than Aboriginal artefacts. It is an all-embracing heritage Bill. As I said, the Planning and Heritage Bills together form a major component of the land planning package. Remaining parts of the package will be tabled and released for public comment progressively.
I will now mention briefly the main provisions of the remaining legislation to place the Planning and Heritage Bills in the context of the entire package. This information is also included in the explanatory statement, which I have tabled earlier.
Inquiries and environmental assessment legislation will specify common procedures for inquiries into and environmental assessments of the impact of planning,
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