Page 4639 - Week 15 - Thursday, 21 November 1991
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That is not to say, however, that there is not a requirement for amendments to be made at this stage, and the Rally will be moving some amendments in the detail stage. Some of those amendments are quite substantial. Some will be no surprise to members, as our Interim Planning (Amendment) Bill and comments in the Assembly on planning issues have provided a clear indication of our views.
The legislation before us today and the associated matters we are debating cognately will set the scene for the future planning and development of the ACT for many years to come. These Bills also include the very important area of environmental impact and heritage legislation, as well as a report by the joint committees of the Assembly that considered the draft legislation put forward by the Alliance Government. It was unfortunate that the Territory Plan had not been released when debate on the Bill was brought forward; but more of that later. Having had a chance to hold the final document in our hands only in recent weeks, I have had little time to consider what is, after all, a very important adjunct to the legislation before us today.
One cannot operate without the other, and it is unfortunate that the plan has only just become available. There is a considerable amount of information in it that I know the community is interested in seeing. The plan and the legislation are linked inextricably. There are some things in the plan that must be completed before those sections of the legislation can take place. It is unfortunate that the plan could not be tabled before the debate on the legislative package commenced, and we have been through this discussion before.
I have already indicated that many very busy community groups will have to work overtime to ensure that they are able to make reasoned comments on the plan, in much the same way as lobby groups and individuals have commented on the legislation. That comment, as we all know, extended over a period of well over 12 months. I am pleased that the Minister has at last accepted the inevitable by extending the time allowed for comments, as there is much to be done, even in the period allowed.
I trust that the Minister will ensure that copies of the plan will be made available to community groups and organisations, who over the years have shown an ability to provide sensible and reasoned comment on the Bill. I look forward to a positive response from such community groups when I ask them whether they have a copy of the draft plan and whether they have had to pay for it. Community groups do much of their work on a voluntary basis and they should be encouraged, not hindered, in providing what is a very expensive consulting service, with many eminent people on board. It is for this reason that I have spoken out
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