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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 9 Hansard (17 November) . . Page.. 2567 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

I do not think that it creates impediments at all. I think that it actually shows where the Government has to go. In fact, in the second stage of any inquiry into rural residential development, these are the things that we would have to address, as outlined in that report.

MR CORBELL: It is absolutely amazing, Minister, that you believe that it does not put any impediments in the way of government and does not highlight any of the problems. I simply ask you, as a supplementary question: Has it not shown all along that Labor were right when we said that the Government was reckless and rash in pursuing the preliminary agreement for development of Hall/Kinlyside before the work was done by the consultants engaged by your departments? Will you now acknowledge that the whole deal was ill considered and deserved the derision that it received?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, I do not believe that it was ill considered. Again, this report clearly identifies some of the steps that the Government must take before rural residential development can continue, and we have put them out for discussion. We will consult with the department. I understand that there is to be a forum this afternoon that the ANU has organised to look at the whole issue of rural residential development.

Mr Speaker, I guess you see things as either opportunities or threats. The people opposite want nothing to change. It is about not moving forward; it is about living in suspended animation.

Mr Osborne: The true conservatives.

MR SMYTH: They are the true conservatives. They are the only conservatives in this place. Mr Speaker, what they are afraid of doing is offering the people of Canberra a little bit of choice.

Mr Corbell: Can't you address the substance of the report, Minister? You haven't read it, have you?

MR SMYTH: The substance of the report is, I think, quite good, Mr Speaker. The substance of the report highlights what must occur before rural residential development can continue. The Government has said that it is quite willing to discuss it, to talk to the community. We have put it out as a discussion paper, Mr Speaker, so that the community can have their say. I think what it does is offer another choice. The part of the report that Mr Corbell chooses to ignore is where it speaks about Canberra having the opportunity to lead the country in this form of niche development, of genuine rural residential development. It will not be like that which is around us in New South Wales. It will be quite spectacular, it will be quite special and it will offer the people of Canberra some of the choice that they have long been after, Mr Speaker.

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