Page 1423 - Week 05 - Thursday, 13 May 1993
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Land Development
MR LAMONT: Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. Minister, what steps will the Government take to control land development in major urban renewal sites such as those that I have discussed with you and as reported in the Canberra Times on Tuesday?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, this has been a matter of continuing concern and of progress in the Labor Party. Indeed, it has been a commitment of ours for some time that the Government will return to control of land development. With that in mind, we have been investigating the best means of implementing our policy. This has involved the examination of a range of factors, including cost to government, the likely impact on land prices and other broad economic considerations.
Included in this review is an acknowledgment that any change to public sector land servicing would be phased in over a period of time. The Government has decided that we now should look to the development of urban renewal sites by the Government itself using contractors. For example, subject to planning variation processes, the ACT Government believes that sites such as North Watson should be developed by the Government, bearing in mind that that site is undergoing a process. I am not anticipating any development there ahead of the processes, but that is the sort of site that I am talking about.
Development in this way would ensure that the community interest in these areas was dealt with sensitively, due to government control at all stages. This would involve the Government in planning and servicing of the land and the release of individual blocks for sale. The Government is aware that there is a significant demand for the sale of individual blocks by the Government and the ability of ordinary ACT citizens to go, as they used to, to the Albert Hall and put their hand up and acquire a site. This is a matter that the Government is looking at, and I will report back after the Government has considered this proposal.
Rescue Services
MR HUMPHRIES: My question is addressed to the Minister for police. Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister told the Assembly that a saving of $400,000 was expected from the assumption by the ACT Fire Brigade of responsibility for all road rescue in the Territory. Has the Minister seen a document from the controller of the ACT Emergency Service, North Canberra region, to the director of the ACT Emergency Service Territory-wide of 27 April, and is he also aware that in that document the controller of the North Canberra region says, in attaching a document called "ACT Emergency Service, North Canberra Region - Equipment bid for 1993-94" - - -
Mr De Domenico: Another ambit claim.
MR HUMPHRIES: Another ambit claim. The document states:
In preparing these bids, the recent public announcements concerning reductions in the role of the Police Search & Rescue Squad have been taken into account, in that it is assumed that the ACTES will, within the next 12 months, become responsible for all searches in the ACT, including forests, bushland, and waterways, and all cliff rescue roles.
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