Page 546 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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... be located at a place that provides prominence, satisfactory line of sight, and does not constitute a safety problem.
It suggested that there should possibly be consideration of having such proposals on buildings. In fact, the National Capital Planning Authority indicated its support for such signs on a much smaller scale at or near the tourist lay-by on Northbourne Avenue, for example. There were also suggestions that there should be a mural, well lit, on the median strip of Northbourne Avenue and on the southern side of Barry Drive as a gate entrance to the ACT, and so on. However, it became obvious to the committee as we conducted our inquiry and considered the evidence that the whole issue of signage needs to be addressed, particularly in light of the fact that the planning of the ACT is now divided between the two tiers of government.
I think that is something that we have to live with and hopefully, eventually, that will be resolved as days go by; but the committee considered, as we have indicated in our report, that the two authorities responsible for planning approvals in the ACT should prepare draft guidelines for the construction and location of signage, as the committee proposes to review the entire issue. Design and siting guidelines that were quoted from in this place yesterday include a section on signage, and the committee has decided, as I will be announcing formally to the house, that we should eventually look at that particular issue when time permits.
I think that the billboard is a very obvious part of our city. It has become an issue, I suppose, in some people's minds, and hopefully, now that this committee report has been finalised, the issue will finally be put to rest one way or the other. The clear recommendation from the committee's report is that the billboard should be removed. To conclude my report, the committee recommends that:
... the current Billboard on City Hill is inappropriate and should be removed as soon as existing commitments for its use have been finalised.
MRS NOLAN (10.48): I must say that I am pleased to at last see this report being handed down to the Assembly. The reference was resolved in June last year. When I put the reference to the committee, I did not see it as a long inquiry. The committee received some 51 submissions, I believe verifying my view that there was significant community concern on this issue.
There is no doubt that the nature of the billboard has changed. The original structure for which permission was applied for by the Canberra Festival in 1983 was, I believe, a great idea and very well received in the community. It was to be a temporary mural on City Hill,
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