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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (2 September) . . Page.. 1767 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

In that particular area obviously the land is worth quite a lot of money. There is quite a lot of medium-density development in that street. But at this stage, with the land market as it has been over the last couple of years, the determination was that the ACT Government would not be in the business of making the same mistakes as the previous Labor Government made and put onto the market land which would adversely affect other land that was already on the market and in many cases had been on the market for a long period of time. It is good that over the last few months the general housing market seems to have improved quite significantly. In fact, I was really pleased to see the figures yesterday that indicated that housing approvals had increased by - - -

Mr Wood: At least, Brendan, you answered the question.

MS CARNELL: I know those opposite are not interested, Mr Speaker, but the fact is - - -

Mr Hargreaves: We would just like an answer to the question.

MR SPEAKER: Settle down, please. We are in the throes of answering the question.

MS CARNELL: This is the question. What are we doing with these sites? We are ensuring that we get the best possible use, whether it be selling the sites at a time when the market will produce the best return to the ACT Government or it be using them for community purposes. As I say, I had some involvement with Lower Jindalee. A number of groups have had a look at Lower Jindalee to determine whether it fits their requirements. It is my understanding at this stage that no group has determined that it does in the current circumstances, so I would have to say that at this stage a decision has not been taken, as it could not be until the market improves. I am not sure whether the police station has moved to the Office of Assets Management at this stage, but I will certainly take that on notice and make sure that those opposite are given a briefing on all of those facilities.

It is really important that as we look at these assets we handle them in the best possible way. We would not necessarily put some people into Lower Jindalee if the best return for the Territory, both socially and financially, would come from doing something else with it. That is the basis of good management.

MR WOOD: I ask a supplementary question. The Chief Minister just said she handles these in the best possible way. Does that mean, as with the John Knight Hostel, letting $40,000 worth of vandalism happen? Surely, the Erindale police station was known to be coming vacant at least a year or 18 months beforehand. Is handling it in the best possible way taking forever to make a decision?

MS CARNELL: If taking a bit of time to make a decision means the best decision is taken, then I would have to say yes. Are those opposite suggesting that we should race in and make decisions, remembering that they spend most of their time saying that we make decisions far too rapidly without the appropriate process in place? On one hand, it is too fast, too fast, too fast, then it is too slow, too slow, too slow. From the perspective of the Government, one thing I can guarantee to those opposite is that we will not take nearly as long as they took with Holder High.

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