Page 4723 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 7 December 1994
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well argue that we have taken 18 months to consider the pertinent issues relating to the planning legislation, but I believe that the committee felt that we could not accommodate all of these specific issues in relation to a number of matters that have been specifically identified in our recommendations. We have recommended that we look at the issue of the renewal of commercial leases, heritage matters and the issue of betterment during the life of the next Assembly through the committee process. I regret that the committee has not been able to spend the time needed to address those issues fully. I certainly hope that the community understands that, because this was such a major task, we were not able to complete our consideration of these matters in the time available.
I would like to mention the defined land issue. There are some recommendations in our report which relate to the Todd report, which was tabled in this Assembly some months ago. Recommendation 26 says this:
The committee recommends that the legislation be amended to confine the use of 'defined land' to greenfields type of development and that consideration be given to changing the name in order to improve public understanding of the term; also, that the legislation spell out the meaning of the term. Further, the committee recommends that the Government institute procedures to enable community consultation at the conceptual stage of greenfields development.
I believe that this is an important recommendation. We had representations from a number of witnesses during our public hearings that the community wanted to be involved to some extent at the conceptual stage of greenfields developments. It is something that happened in the days of the National Capital Development Commission, and it is something that the committee believes should be resurrected where possible.
To conclude, Madam Speaker, as I am running out of time, I hope that this report will be seen to have made a substantial contribution to the debate on planning legislation which is seen to be so necessary in the ACT. I acknowledge that we have recommended the deferral of some matters to the appropriate committee of the Third Assembly; but I strongly believe that, should the Government agree with the remaining recommendations, they should proceed with the necessary processes for implementation as quickly as possible.
Finally, I would like to thank my fellow colleagues of the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee, as I believe that it is the last opportunity for members of that committee to address the Assembly. I would particularly like to thank Mr De Domenico and Ms Ellis, whom I have been working with for three years in this Assembly since we all became members of it. Most of us have been present at those 116 meetings of the Planning Committee that we heard about. I would also like to thank the new chairman of the committee, Mr Berry. He described his task as chairman of that committee as challenging. I would also like to thank Mr Cornwell for the time and effort that he has
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