Page 1511 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 18 May 1993
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ensure that they are appropriately distanced from people who are representing the interests of big business. They have to be appropriately distanced so that they can fulfil their prime role, and that is to make decisions and to support actions that are in the public interest.
Furthermore, of course, the chair of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee, David Lamont, should also assess his role with the "mates". I am sure that Nick Greiner and Tim Moore felt that their behaviour with regard to Terry Metherell's appointment was normal and followed the accepted procedures of the day. Of course, that conduct has been found, technically, to be legal. However, recent past events have shown that this behaviour was considered unethical and bordering on corrupt. Both Greiner and Moore have paid a heavy price for their complacency. One would hope that this incident would have served as a warning to all in public positions to ensure that all government dealings were above reproach.
The community interest with reference to Braddon must be served and we must take into account what has actually happened in Braddon. Firstly, we have to take into account the interest of those members of the community who live around the development and who already have been put under intense pressure to sell their homes. Developers who think just in terms of dollars and cents can look at these people and say that they are very fortunate because they have the opportunity to make money to go and live elsewhere. That may well be one of the factors involved, but the reality is that people who chose to live in Braddon, or people who have been living there for perhaps three or four decades, may well enjoy the environment and the advantages of living close to the inner city. It may not be their intention to sell.
There will be those who have speculated on increased value in the land and who intend, therefore, to sell so that their lease can be changed to medium density and they can get a windfall gain. The vast majority of people in Braddon are interested in retaining the environment which is similar to that in which they live. That environment does not preclude medium density housing. Medium density housing can be observed with new developments around Ainslie, developments which have fitted in with the surroundings and which are to be commended.
There are also those who happen to live in public housing in the inner city. Those people have lived there for, perhaps, 20 or 30 years. One such person came to see me the other day, concerned after a developer had approached her, because the developer did not realise that she was living in public housing. Of course, had he been Peter Phillips, no doubt he would have been able to find this out through his networks and contacts as chair of the board of ACTEW. When this lady was approached she was very concerned about where she might be moved to and about her security of tenure. This woman, I must say, had the highest regard and the highest praise for the Housing Trust, who, she felt, had dealt with her appropriately over the last few years, and I have written to the Commissioner for Housing so that he can reassure her that she is entitled to some security of tenure. Terry Connolly indicated some time ago that, until such problems can be resolved, the Housing Trust would not support joint development ventures. Does this mean that they are withdrawing from Braddon, or are they participating in the bigger, brighter venture?
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