Page 1937 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 15 June 1994
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The Electoral Commissioner has a major role in this Bill. One of the major benefits it has is that it allows preferential voting. That would have been a good idea in the 1992 referendum when people voted on the electoral system. They could have been given a choice of a different number of electorates, and they could have been given the opportunity to select a different type of system, like Hare-Clark and so on. That is certainly a benefit.
There is no doubt that the responsibility of members of parliament and the community as a whole is increased by having such a principle in place. It keeps us on our mettle because we understand that the citizens, if they choose, can have a matter put to referendum. It keeps the citizens on their mettle because they have a direct say in the legislative process, if enough of them choose to have that say. They understand that their vote certainly is highly important in that role. As for credit for the Bill, I can sum up by saying that it will do us all credit if we make sure that we are the first legislature in Australia to introduce this principle, which for so long has been supported by so many people.
Debate (on motion by Ms Follett) adjourned.
LAND (PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT) (CONSEQUENTIAL
PROVISIONS) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1994
MS SZUTY (10.49): I present the Land (Planning and Environment) (Consequential Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 1994.
Title read by Clerk.
MS SZUTY: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Madam Speaker, this amendment Bill is intended to ensure that, after 30 June 1995, all applications for lease variations are made and determined under the Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991. The introduction of this amendment Bill has come about in response to growing community concern that lease variations are still being processed by the Department of the Environment, Land and Planning under old legislation, such as the City Area Leases Act 1936 and the Leases Act 1918, that, unlike the Land Act, do not have requirements for public notification, and resultant third party appeal rights, in respect of lease variations.
I came to the conclusion that this Bill was needed after considering the background to the recent community concern expressed over a proposed residential development at the Kippax centre. To be more specific, Madam Speaker, in early March I received representations from the planning committee of the Belconnen Community Council indicating concern about a proposed residential development on parts of blocks 31, 38 and 27 of section 51, Holt. This land includes part of the Lenon's Health Club block, part of the temporary library block and part of some adjacent unleased land. The community had become aware that change was pending only recently, when surveyors were seen at work in the vicinity of the Kippax library.
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