Page 4999 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 11 December 1990
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used, really, for two purposes: for necessary variations to the plan, in the ordinary process of developments, and to provide the legislative backing for a planning authority to go about the business of developing the Territory Plan. I am sure most members would have read and examined the series of policy papers that have been issued by the Interim Territory Planning Authority outlining the direction in which they are heading in the development of the Territory Plan.
Of course, absent a Bill like this, there would be no planning authority and no way of progressing the development of that Territory Plan. When the legislation is finally in place - dare I say in December next year, if we are lucky - it is important that the plan be sufficiently advanced so that it can be quickly implemented. The Chief Minister has basically told us that that is what this planning Bill will be used for and that we will not, under this Bill, have any comprehensive changes to the Territory Plan. They will await the introduction of the formal legislation. When the final decision is made we will have those safeguards, that transparency that has uniform support across the chamber.
Assurances on planning matters are always cause for some concern. It was raised in question time today that assurances had been given by this Government. Indeed, insofar as it is within the control of this Government and the Federal Government, the assurance has not been broken that public servants would not be introduced on the Canberra Times site and yet we see that that appears to be in the pipeline. As I say, at the moment the assurance does not seem to have been breached by this Government; it seems to have been breached by the Federal Government. The point there, Mr Speaker, is that we are taking the Government very much on faith in supporting this Bill. It is a blank cheque. The very important principles of appeal and of environmental inquiry - which are the safeguards that make the comprehensive land and planning package one which commands bipartisan support - are simply not here in this planning package in this Interim Planning Bill.
It is certainly necessary to have some legislation in place. The Opposition would certainly require those full assurances, that the Chief Minister has given in his opening remarks, to be reiterated this evening to assure the community that this Bill will be used only for those limited purposes. It is always a matter of concern when executive governments are given this sort of blank cheque. I think all members of the Assembly should be aware that this is, in a sense, a dangerous Bill. It is a Bill which is one part only of the planning package that we all support. It is standing on its own. It does not provide that open, transparent planning process that all sides of the Assembly say they are committed to. Standing on its own, it allows dramatic changes to the city of Canberra, as we know it, without safeguards, without protection and without third-party appeals. I look forward to continued
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