Page 492 - Week 02 - Thursday, 22 February 1990
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That is, 100 per cent -
for the grant of a new lease together with the cost of the necessary off-site services.
That is from the Report on the Canberra Leasehold System by the Joint Sub-Committee on Transport, Communications and Infrastructure in November 1988. The experts agree that 100 per cent betterment tax is available and is the best, and if you look at the Alliance policy then you will find a very similar statement to the one I have just read out. (Extension of time granted)
I will be very brief, Mr Speaker. The betterment tax levied when approval for a change of lease purpose has been granted should be at a level commensurate with the change in value of the lease caused by the lease purpose change. It should be 100 per cent. I think that the most important thing that we can expect out of our leasehold system is that the people who own the land get the value of the land.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (3.38): Mr Moore has proposed for debate today as a matter of public importance the potential advantages of the Canberra leasehold system and the parlous state of its administration. It is ironic that the debate should so closely follow my announcement of the Alliance Government's initiative in producing a package of legislation which will provide the most comprehensive overhaul of the planning and leasing system in Canberra since the establishment of the Australian Capital Territory. I am sure the irony is not lost on Mr Moore who sat in this Assembly while the former Government dithered on the matter for seven months. We have made the essential decisions in just over two months.
Long before self-government there were allegations by individuals and groups about the neglected state of the leasehold system and its administration. By introducing the package of reforms that I have announced, my Government has addressed the longstanding weakness of the Canberra leasehold system which has been allowed to remain unchecked and unchanged by the Commonwealth over many years. Notwithstanding the fact that the issues and problems that Mr Moore has raised have not been a product of this Government's action or inaction, this Government is committed to providing the most efficient and effective land tenure system in the ACT.
I would like to put Mr Moore's motion into some sort of historical perspective. There is absolutely nothing new in what he has said. As far back as I can recall, and I can recall back a fair way, there have been widespread criticisms and allegations of mismanagement, and even fraud, in relation to the administration of the leasehold system. Investigations have been carried out into these allegations and the worst that can be said about the specific matters is that in some cases there have been
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