Page 4270 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 20 November 1990
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One of the other issues that were considered was the fact that there are other options to front fences and they include the provision of moundings and screenings of plants. One of the key recommendations of the committee was to ensure that advice was available to those who wished to take the option of planting on moundings, particularly on corner blocks and areas beside walkways. As an assistance and an aid to that, it was decided that we should also ensure that there was some provision for a temporary structure to enable the protection of these plants during their early life. That was one of the issues that were raised with members of the committee by people who appeared before us.
On that basis, Mr Speaker, I would like to end my remarks by thanking all those members of the community who participated in the process and were prepared not only to submit submissions to the committee, but also to appear before us in public hearings. I think this is an important process for the development of the ACT Legislative Assembly and the committee process within the ACT.
MRS NOLAN (4.56): Mr Speaker, as a member of the committee I shall speak briefly on the report of the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure in relation to residential/suburban fences. I think it is probably appropriate that I should reiterate the terms of reference that were before the committee.
The reference was whether changes should occur in relation to the current policy concerning fences on suburban and residential building blocks, including whether restrictions on front and side fences should be eased and whether restrictions on the material from which such fences are made should be eased. The second part of that was that the committee was to report by the first day of sitting in April 1990. There have been several extensions of the reporting date since then and I might say that I am quite pleased to see that this report is finally being handed down this afternoon. I would also like to thank those involved from the committee office and the Hansard office for their assistance in getting this report completed.
The issue of front fences and whether Canberra residents should or should not be able to construct a fence has been around for many years. It is an issue on which I have held a personal view in favour of changing the current front fence policy, and that personal view was something that I have held ever since I arrived in Canberra. I was the person who put the original motion to the Assembly, and then the Assembly moved it to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee to investigate the issue. It certainly was some considerable time ago - in July last year - and since then I have become a member of that committee. I was not a member of the original Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee. I then took the view that as a member of the committee I would weigh up all
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