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MR WOOD: Everything that occurred in the planning area went through this Assembly with the agreement of this Assembly. That point cannot be emphasised too much. Additionally, we have a Planning and Environment Committee that reaches consensus. Nothing gets through this Assembly unless it has been agreed to in that committee. I think that is a fairly reasonable process. When Mr Humphries comes in here and says that planning is a mess, I remind him and his colleagues that they have had their hands on planning as much as anybody else in this Assembly over a long period. It is certainly the case that in the early days of self-government both the plan and the legislation were brought in under great pressure, in a great rush. The Minister of the day - namely, me - and members who nodded vigorously at the time agreed that we would have to review the provisions of the legislation and the plan in the light of experience. That happened and continues to happen. We have an inquiry into leasehold. Later this week the Minister will respond to the Planning Committee's report on the legislation.
Mr Humphries refers to a strategic plan but he does very little about it. The process of review, which incorporated the Lansdown review, has continued. I think that is very necessary. No aspect of life in Canberra arouses more interest than planning. As a former planning spokesperson, Mr Speaker, you would acknowledge that. It will continue to be a controversial, debatable issue. Mr Humphries, as I see in his statement, is generally continuing the former Government's policies. I do not see any great changes. But in 10 years’ time planning will continue to be a part of the Canberra debate generally. Given that we have the best-planned city in Australia, that ought to be the case.
MR DE DOMENICO (Minister for Urban Services) (11.09): Mr Speaker, my comments are going to be very brief.
Mr Berry: Stand on your chair.
MR DE DOMENICO: I will stand on the chair in a minute, Mr Berry, if I have to - and you could stand on your head and we would have a great time.
Mr Hird: Play musical chairs.
MR DE DOMENICO: That is right. Ms Horodny mentioned a few things that I would like to comment on - two in particular. She said that there had been no commitment about the extension to the Tuggeranong Hyperdome. I am afraid that she is wrong on that. My understanding of the situation is that the Government has already rejected the original proposal put forward by Leda, the main reason being that it had no explanation as to the effect that it would have on existing small businesses. My further understanding is that we have not yet received another plan from Leda and therefore we do not know what Leda has in mind. It is very difficult to make decisions on plans that you have not seen. I mention that for the edification of Ms Horodny and anybody else who is interested.
Ms Horodny also mentioned the Government's decision, or words to that effect, to allow a 3,500-square-metre supermarket in the Conder area. That is not true either. My understanding is that the Minister's view and the Government's view is that the maximum size of any supermarket in any future Conder shops will be about 2,500 square metres. That being the case - and I am glad that the Minister is nodding -
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