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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 5 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 1386 ..

MR HIRD (continuing):

Our fifth recommendation is the most contentious. The committee states that the Belconnen aquatic centre should be built. But, of course, Mr Speaker, we are aware of the problem associated with the pool going ahead right away. This problem relates to competition policy and to the broad agreement by the Commonwealth and all the States and the Northern Territory on the need to create a level playing field on which private and public sector organisations may compete fairly to produce benefits for the community.

It is common knowledge that two organisations in Belconnen have formally complained that the proposed pool will detrimentally affect their business. Therefore, the Government has announced a study of the pool's financial feasibility and its public benefit. The study will commence next month and will report by January 1999.

I am pleased that the Government has moved quickly to get this study under way. I hope it reports quickly and I hope it concludes that the public benefit of the pool outweighs the other considerations. My committee, in its report, offers to do anything that we can to facilitate comment by members of the public on the proposed pool. I commend the report to the house.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR HIRD (4.35): I present Report No. 2 of the Standing Committee on Urban Services entitled "Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No. 91: Signs Policies - Amendments to the Territory Plan Written Statement", together with a copy of the extracts of the minutes of proceedings. I move:

That the report be noted.

Mr Speaker, I have pleasure in tabling the Urban Services Committee's report on draft variation No. 91 to the Territory Plan. The variation deals with the policies applying to Territory signs. The variation was referred to the committee by the Minister for Urban Services on 25 May this year. We received a briefing by officers on 26 June, and we unanimously decided to endorse the variation. I thank my colleagues on the committee and also the secretariat. I commend the report to the house.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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