Page 1450 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 17 April 1991
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to advise that draft variations to the plan have been prepared, where copies of the draft plan and background papers are available, that interested persons are invited to submit written comments to a specified address, what period of time is open for comment and a statement of the interim effect of the proposed variation. The school sites advertisement responds to all of those requirements.
There was, however, an additional requirement arising from the end of the transition period of the Commonwealth legislation. This is the basis of the legalistic wording at the top of the second page of the advertisement. Because of the unusual circumstances relating to the approval of the National Capital Plan by the Commonwealth Government and the powers provided to the Federal Government under section 66 of the ACT (Planning and Land Management) Act we were required to have such a statement.
This was a complex issue and the Law Office advised on the appropriate wording to ensure that the notice complied with the legislation. I admit that that paragraph is not easy to read, but it is legally essential. I note that these words will not be required in advertisements in the future as the requirement was peculiar to the particular timing of the release of these draft variations. It was a one-time thing that had to be written in. Apart from this one paragraph, which relates to a complex legal situation, the balance of the advertisement is in plain English. Mr Moore might not be able to understand it, but that is the fact of it.
Mr Moore says that we have discouraged comment. This simply is not so. We know that the message got through and we know that everybody else understood it because of the interest that has been generated already. The media obviously understood the issue because they have reported on it at some length. The community is aware of the proposals and some groups have already taken action to make their views known. They did not have any difficulty with it. Even the Opposition appear to have comprehended the issue in the process. Mr Moore's address shows clearly that he understands it, although he pretends that he does not. I would suggest, Mr Speaker, that, if he can understand it, anybody can.
The Government has a strong commitment to consultation with the community and because of this we will be arranging for a further advertisement, without some of the legal wording, to be published, and this will comprise - - -
Mr Berry: So, he was right.
MR KAINE: Mr Berry is surprised that we would do that. This will comprise a reminder to the community that we have, in fact, invited consultation on the matter. That advertisement will not need to have the legal preamble to it that the one on 12 April was required to have.
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