Page 4200 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 23 October 1991
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To achieve this, in 1989 our Government, the Follett Labor Government, released proposals for community consultation for a planning and land management scheme under the portfolio of Paul Whalan who was then the Minister. I am pleased that this initiative has had results in this legislation.
Mr Deputy Speaker, while it is true that the former Government had some input in this area, I think it is highly appropriate that the second Follett Labor Government is able to introduce this legislation, for it has been the Australian Labor Party in Canberra that has taken most concern over planning in the city. The ACT ALP, at their regular meetings, have spent many hours discussing how to keep this city as beautiful as it is and the way that they want it to be.
The people of Canberra are vitally concerned with the important question of urban development and the environment. The processes for community consultation that have been included in this legislation have helped to make it one of the most advanced pieces of planning legislation in Australia. Nowhere else is this done as much as it is in the ACT, and it has been done under the Follett Labor Government - a government that believes that you must consult with the people. You cannot tell the people what they are going to get; you must ask the people, so that the planners, the Government and the people can work together so that they can achieve what we all want.
We must ensure that Canberra's future growth is orderly and cost-efficient. Excess energy use must be limited and the protection of the local environment must be ensured. We all know how important that is. We have species here that are seen hardly anywhere else in Australia; if they are seen, it is in very few places. We must be sure that we protect those. We must be sure that we protect the green spaces; that we are able to drive and not have the entire area covered by houses and buildings.
Mr Jensen: Listen to it. I don't believe this.
MRS GRASSBY: It is important. We are not the people who wanted to close down the schools and we are not the people who wanted to sell off the schools for housing. We sit opposite members of the former Government who were very happy to close down 20 schools and build housing on all those lovely green spaces.
Mr Berry: Twenty-five schools.
MRS GRASSBY: They could not close them down quickly enough. I am sorry, Mr Deputy Speaker, I did not realise that it was 25. I am not even giving them their right number. They were quite happy to close those down and to do this.
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