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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2253 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

However, Mr Speaker, I support the comments made by Ms McRae and Mr Whitecross that the expansion of retail space in the town centres should not be delayed further. Members will be aware that Leda, for example, sought their extension to the Hyperdome while Mr Wood was still Minister 18 months ago. The Government has taken stock of that extension and has imposed a restriction on the extension through its retailing policy. That policy, which we hope will be put into place today, will, I think, represent a fairly serious hurdle for Leda to overcome should they decide to proceed with the extension. If they do decide to proceed with the extension it would be unconscionable for the Assembly to delay a decision on that any further. Certainly, the planning process is likely to throw up a decision to be made within the next few weeks and, unless the Assembly stands in the way, I propose to make that decision.

I commend the motion to the house, but I also commend the amendment to the house, and I now move that amendment. It reads as follows:

Omit paragraph (3).

MR MOORE (12.04): Mr Speaker, in addressing the motion and the amendment at the same time, I do not have any particular problem if the motion is going to go through with the amendment. It is of great concern to me that whilst we are debating this issue of a reference to a committee we also have a Minister putting a whole series of parameters on that committee. It seems to me that the motion, as we read it on its face value, is fine. The reference to the committee is probably an important one. I will point out, Mr Speaker, that it may well be that the committee will seek further assistance in terms of the sort of support that it has in order to deal with this motion if, indeed, the Government is going to support it. Even if I say I will oppose it I also want to point out that as chair of that committee, if it is the Assembly's decision that we proceed with it, I will do my very best to deal with the issue and to deliver a report in the best and fairest way that I can.

That having been said, I will oppose this motion because of the position taken by both the Greens and the Government as they put it up. On the one hand they are saying to us, "Look, take this motion and consider where the solutions are; look at Striking a Balance; try to work out what are the appropriate motions"; but in respect of the two areas where I think the main solutions lie about retail space and about shopping hours they are saying, "But we are not going to let you look at those. We are going to continue with our measures on retail space and we are going to continue with our measures on shopping hours". Now, you cannot have it both ways. Well, perhaps you can, and perhaps that is what you will do; but if you are going to have it both ways then clearly it is simply a cop-out and a sop to the media. What you are doing will be seen as that.

You feel the pressure of 40,000 signatures today on a petition and within minutes of the introduction of that petition you are introducing a Bill to give a much higher status to such things as petitions and community views. This Government goes to the people and says, "We will listen to the people", but basically it is ignoring that kind of petition.

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