Page 5002 - Week 17 - Tuesday, 11 December 1990
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need for passage of this interim legislation this year, ahead of the Planning Bill and the other elements of the package, has arisen because we cannot be certain when the Commonwealth will proclaim an end to the transition period provided for in the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act.
Members will, no doubt, be aware that action is under way in Federal Parliament to extend the transition period from one to two years, after ACT self-government; that is, until May 1991. While this might seem, to some, to make the passage of this Bill somewhat less urgent than we have suggested, it is important to point out that there are other provisions in the Planning and Land Management Act which can bring the transition period to an end much sooner than May 1991.
The Act provides that once the National Capital Plan is approved the end of this transition period shall be proclaimed. We understand that the National Capital Plan is currently before the Federal Government for approval. Therefore, the end of this transition period could be declared shortly. Unfortunately, there is no way we can be certain when the Commonwealth will act on this matter. Certainly, they have been tardy in relation to matters relating to the ACT in the past, and one would have to wonder about it for the future.
What is certain, however, is that once the transition period is at an end the ITPA will be unable to make variations to policy or release the draft Territory Plan for public comment, unless we have legislation in place that establishes the Territory's permanent planning body and provides it with appropriate control over the planning process. We have to be certain that there are no gaps in our planning arrangements which might leave us without proper planning control.
The principles behind the development of the draft planning and land use Bills, as an integrated legislative package, - will not be compromised by the passage of this Interim Planning Bill. The Government's open and consultative approach to the development of this package of legislation will ensure the maintenance of sound planning principles. We must have this interim legislation in place now to ensure continuity in our planning arrangements while, at the same time, continuing our commitment to consultation on the development of our permanent planning legislation.
The planning system we will develop in this way will guarantee the economic, social and environmental well-being of the ACT. I commend to the Assembly the Interim Planning Bill and the Interim Planning (Consequential Amendments) Bill that goes with it.
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