Page 4606 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 27 November 1990
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Immediately the Government came to office it moved to institute a review of the legislation affecting planning and we adopted clear and explicit guidelines for full consultation on planning and development and provided wide-ranging appeals for applicants and third parties against discretionary decisions. That was the problem with the previous Government. Certainly they put something on the table after considerable pressure on the part of my colleagues and me, but it was only half a job. It did not include two of the most important aspects of the administration of the lease system - the decision in relation to betterment and the decision in relation to the appeals process, which was another important aspect that was not put into the drafting instructions that were put out. What started on 22 February this year was the process of preparing draft Bills for exposure and discussion. As a result of those exposure drafts, Mr Deputy Speaker, there were in excess of 60 comments from community groups, organisations and individuals to the Government. That required - - -
Mr Berry: That is more than you got on front fences.
MR JENSEN: I would hope so, Mr Berry, because it is very important legislation. That required a major review of the initial package of legislation that was progressively brought forward over the period from February to June. So I think, as Mr Connolly has already indicated to me privately, and Mr Moore as well, that it is important to get the legislation right because it will be very difficult to change it later on. It is important to get it right. That is why it is important for this community consultation process to take place. Mr Moore, of all people, I am sure, would agree that it is important for the community consultation process to take place fully in this area and this is, in fact, what is happening.
The Government contends that a less than rigorous approach was taken by the then Follett Government to this vital issue of the administration of the legislation for leasing within the ACT.
The Government has given new purpose to the process and, consistent with the need for full public consultation, has advanced all aspects of the legislation with a clear outline of its contents and timing. This legislation is one of the most important aspects of lease management in the ACT. It is vital that it be complete and wide-ranging, that it have as few flaws as possible and that it properly reflect community concerns to overcome years of neglect by the Commonwealth Government.
I think it is very important at this stage to mention that the report on the Canberra leasehold system, produced in November 1988 - it is called the Langmore report and contains the report by Professor Max Neutze - has not been responded to by the Federal Government. The Federal
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