Page 720 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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The proclamation of the end of the transition period will come into effect on Wednesday, 13 March. This proclamation of the Governor-General, on the advice of the Commonwealth Government, is based on the acceptance by Parliament of the National Capital Plan which was tabled in both houses of the Commonwealth Parliament late last year. The six sitting days allowed in the Act for disallowance by the Parliament elapsed on 14 February 1991.
There is, therefore, in place a National Capital Plan which contains policies to ensure that Canberra and the Territory are planned and developed in accordance with their national significance. In passing I should mention that, by and large, I am satisfied with the consultations that led to the establishment of the National Capital Plan. I look forward to building a productive working arrangement with the Commonwealth on planning issues.
That is not the matter I want to bring to the notice of the Assembly today. The important points are these: From tomorrow the substantive provisions of the Territory's Interim Planning Act 1990 will come into force; from tomorrow there will be an ACT Planning Authority which replaces the existing Interim Territory Planning Authority which has been responsible for Territory planning for the past two years; and also from tomorrow any decision to accept and/or vary the Territory Plan will be tabled in this Assembly and will be subject to disallowance.
The new authority is constituted by the Chief Planner who will be assisted by professional and administrative staff from the ACT Public Service. In terms of the Alliance Government's administrative arrangements, the authority will be administered as part of the Department of the Environment, Land and Planning. The completion of the transition period brings into existence the first Territory Plan. Initially, this will consist of those policies of the former NCDC which were not included in the National Capital Plan. The Interim Planning Act requires the preparation and release of a new Territory Plan. As I have indicated earlier in this Assembly, final approval of the Territory Plan will not occur until after acceptance of the planning and land legislation package.
The new Planning Authority will be moving quickly to release a comprehensive draft plan for public consultation. Members will be aware that the ITPA had already commenced the discussion of the Territory Plan with the community with the publication late last year of a series of issues papers relating to it. I have had discussions with the Chief Planner about reference of the draft plan to Assembly committees.
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