Page 4509 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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A number of concerns that were raised by the residents were examined. They included heritage significance, the location of the clubhouse on Dominion Circuit, hazards associated with access to the clubhouse, loss of mature trees, loss of community and recreational facility, and overall design and density of the redevelopment. About the only thing that the Planning Authority really did in response to those concerns was to relocate the clubhouse and to change the access to the site. It made some comments about services being required to be screened from public view, et cetera; but it is interesting that the Planning Authority, in its submission as we have quoted on page 9 of our report in paragraph 3.10, said:
On balance the ACT Planning Authority has determined that the redevelopment of the site is in the wider interest of the community.
Whose interest? Certainly not the interest of the wider community. Maybe it is in the interests of a group of developers and 150 club members, and maybe even the extra 150 or so members that the club expects to attract; but it is certainly not in the interests of the residents of Forrest or of the ACT taxpayer. As far as I can see, Mr Speaker, it is not within the wider interest of the community of the ACT to approve this particular proposal. That is one of the reasons why I believe that today this Assembly should reject the proposal, send it back to the drawing board and let something be developed more in keeping with the area.
Before I close let me talk briefly about the consultation process about which the authority makes much in its submission. It says that, as a result of public reaction to the draft variation to the Territory Plan, three meetings were held with residents' representatives. Mr Speaker, we discussed this at some length within the Planning Committee. It was quite clear that at those three meetings the residents involved did not see themselves as representatives of the community. Certainly, they raised a number of issues with the Planning Authority, but they went there to seek further information. Yesterday we heard some comment about matters related to the consultation process when representatives of the Planning Authority declined to attend a public meeting. They might have been concerned about the process by which that public meeting was arranged, but they even declined to call another one of their own.
It would appear to me, Mr Speaker, that the mind had been made up and that it was a fait accompli as far as people were concerned - let it roll, let it go through without any further hassles. I am afraid the issue will not go away. If this proposal goes ahead, I am sure that there will be continuing agitation in relation to the future development of this site. I think that is one of the problems that the people will have, if they get approval to do this. (Extension of time granted)
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