Page 3424 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 13 October 1993
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among men, is significantly lower than the national average. In addition to deaths from cancer, recently ACT Health received data on the incidence of cancer in the ACT from the New South Wales cancer registry covering the period 1972 to 1991. The combination of death and incidence data will allow us to adequately monitor cancer in the ACT and to target many emerging problems. Consequently, Madam Speaker, the analysis of the data, coupled with the extensive programs and services offered by ACT Health, provides us with valuable tools to help us reduce the effects of cancer and make us a healthier region. We have to be careful about one-year figures because of the small numbers involved, and I have made that clear to members in the Assembly.
Territory Plan - Carport Approvals
MR KAINE: I have a question to Mr Wood, the Minister for Planning. Mr Wood, I asked you a question yesterday that had to do with the carport caper, and I understand that later in the day - - -
Mr Connolly: Carportgate.
MR KAINE: The carport caper. I understand that later in the day Mr Lamont informed some of the concerned small businessmen that they should not worry about the delays in processing applications because "he had half a million dollars that he could pay extra people with to process these applications". Minister, can you confirm that Mr Lamont has half a million dollars for this purpose? If you cannot confirm that he has half a million dollars, can you confirm that you have half a million dollars from which you might be able to pay additional people to process these applications quickly?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, I do not think it is a serious question. I am not sure that I have half a dollar, let alone half a million dollars. Mr Lamont's financial resources, I think, reflect his union background, et cetera, although I do not really know. You had better talk to him about those. I did indicate to you yesterday that I am looking at it. My office has been in discussion with the Planning Authority about the problem. I put "problem" in inverted commas too. I indicated yesterday, I think, that to the extent that there is a problem I want to have a look at it and see whether that additional time can be changed - I am not sure that it can be - if indeed that makes much difference to what the builders have to do. I cannot really say any more. I do not think the question is a serious one. I am trying to give a serious answer to that sort of question and I am running into trouble.
MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Just to prove that my question was a serious one, if you do have additional money to pay additional staff, from which part of your budget is it going to come? We have just dealt with estimates and there was no such provision included.
MR WOOD: We will make do with existing staff. That is quite clear. We can look at the processes. When there is a period for notification, when there is a period for appeal, when there are guidelines and processes in the plan for what you can and cannot do without notification, I am just not sure how we may readily solve the problem, if it is a problem. There is certainly no additional money there for staff. We did provide money, $180,000 or $160,000, for the Planning Appeals Board, but that is a different area. That money would not be used for what you had in mind.
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