Page 4704 - Week 15 - Thursday, 21 November 1991
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MR MOORE: We will get to that point again in a little while, Mr Jensen, when we debate a different clause. For the moment the amendment that I have moved is that the name be changed to the "Land (Planning and Management) Bill".
MR JENSEN (5.09): I listened reasonably carefully to what Mr Moore had to say. I seem to recall having this discussion some time ago in relation to the title of the Bill. While it is true that the Bill relates to the planning and management of the ACT and its environs - that, effectively, is what it is about - the first part of this title is "Land". The Bill is talking about land and planning. One could argue, if you wanted to go that way, that it could be the "Land (Planning, Management and Environment) Bill" because, as we all know, the whole of Part IV talks about environmental assessments and inquiries, which are tied up inextricably with the Territory Plan. So, one could argue that, rather than be called the "Land (Planning and Management) Bill", it should be called the "Land (Planning, Management and Environment) Bill". That might be a more appropriate term to pick up all those views.
I seem to recall that, during the discussions that went on over the title of the Bill, it was decided to stick with the title "Land (Planning and Environment) Bill" because of the very important aspects related to environmental assessments and inquiries. As we know, most States around Australia have some form of planning legislation and some form of legislation relating to environmental impact assessments and statements. I suggest that, if people were looking for any legislation that relates to environmental impacts and assessments in the ACT legislative package, the only way they could find that would be through the title of this Bill, because it is in no other Act except, of course, the Federal legislation that we have used in the past.
On that basis I think "Land" is fine. It indicates what we are really talking about; that is, the whole of the ACT. The Bill talks about planning, which is something that legislators throughout Australia are familiar with. They will know that if they want to find out anything about planning matters within the ACT they will have to go to this Bill. Of course, if they want to find out anything about environment matters, they will need to go to this Bill.
If we take out the word "Environment" we would lose track of the fact that one very important part of this legislation is the factor relating to environmental assessments and inquiries. Another problem that we have, I suppose, is that the title becomes too long. The preamble to the Bill says:
An Act relating to the use of land in the Territory, and for related purposes.
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