Page 4417 - Week 14 - Thursday, 1 December 1994
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After all, we would be acting in accordance with our Territory Plan and considering the issue in the subregional planning context. This is an ideal opportunity for the ACT Government and the Queanbeyan City Council to work together to assess the impact of viability of a project which, if it succeeds, will be important for the Canberra region as a whole.
Madam Speaker, the fact that long-term residents of the Canberra South Motor Park have not been consulted about this draft variation is, I believe, extremely unfortunate. Again, it is another appropriate reason for the deferral of this variation at this time. Also, as mentioned in my dissenting report on Tuesday, appropriate decisions about the appropriate road rules which are needed in the area cannot be made until decisions are reached on stages 2 and 3 of the site. The National Capital Planning Authority clearly believes that one intersection, rather than two, compromises public safety; and alternative proposals would need to be examined if only stage one proceeds. An implementation plan for the development of the site currently does not exist, and a developmental control plan for the site still needs to be developed. Again, that is all the more reason to defer consideration of the variation until 1995.
Madam Speaker, the ACT Government has committed $3m for the development of infrastructure to the site. I believe that this Assembly must be confident about the ability of this site to meet demand for an advanced technology manufacturing estate adjacent to Fyshwick. The Royal Australian Planning Institute has said that it has doubts about the strategic suitability of the location selected. I believe that this Assembly needs to make a sensible decision about this variation to the Territory Plan; and a sensible decision, I believe, can be made only in 1995, when all the parameters in relation to the site are known. I urge members to rethink their positions in relation to this variation and to have the courage to defer a decision, enabling the new Assembly to consider the matter in 1995. I urge members to support this motion of disallowance.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (10.58): Madam Speaker, I would like to speak briefly to Ms Szuty's motion. Needless to say, Mr Wood will be speaking also, and probably at greater length; but there are a couple of issues that I would like to address. I have taken very careful note of Ms Szuty's dissenting report on this matter, and I want to comment on each of the issues that she has raised. Ms Szuty has raised the question of the environmental values of this area and, in particular, the survey that must be carried out for the eastern lined earless dragon. I have every sympathy with that survey going ahead and, if this species is present, then we have to take appropriate steps to ensure that it is protected. I understand that it is not a common species in the ACT. I believe that it is not particularly common throughout Australia. I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with the correct environmental surveys being carried out and appropriate steps being taken as a result of those surveys. I do not believe that that is a reason to hold up this proposal, however.
Ms Szuty has also raised the issues brought forward by the Queanbeyan City Council. I have to say that I take these particular issues with an almighty grain of salt. This is the first time that the Queanbeyan City Council has expressed any interest, to my knowledge, in the economic development of the ACT. In fact, they most certainly did not seek my views when they were trying to set up a technology park of their own. I do believe that this kind of opportunism raises quite justified scepticism. I believe that the motivation of
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