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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 9 Hansard (18 November) . . Page.. 2636 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I would like to know more about what this trial entails. How many cases of abuse of the system are necessary before the Australian Labor Party will reconsider its position? Is one case of abuse enough to trigger reconsideration? Are three or four? Are a dozen, or two dozen? Or is this based on the financial value of the processes which are held up? Supposing somebody who lived in Ainslie, for argument's sake, were to protest against the Manuka Plaza development, which had the support of most members of this Assembly. Would someone like that - - -

Members interjected.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order.

MR HUMPHRIES: If one person was holding up a development worth $15m, would that be a large enough trigger for the Labor Party to reconsider its view about this legislation? I do not know, and I would like to hear from the Labor Party as to what they consider would be the trigger. I am certainly concerned about where the Labor Party stands on this. I would like to know what the circumstances of this trial are. How many cases of abuse of this system are necessary before the Labor Party will reconsider the matter, and what do they require? Do we need only one multimillion dollar development of a Manuka Plaza-type shopping development to be held up by somebody living in Ainslie to trigger the Labor Party's reconsideration of this proposal?

Mr Stanhope: You don't think people in Ainslie have an interest in Manuka, Minister?

MR HUMPHRIES: Under the present law, they probably do not. Under the new provisions, they most certainly would. That is the point.

Mr Stanhope: So they should. I live in Kaleen and I have got an interest in Manuka.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I say to the Leader of the Opposition, "I know it is getting late in the afternoon. Do not get too excited". The Attorney-General has the call.

MR HUMPHRIES: I would simply, politely, invite the Labor Party to give us details of what this trial that they have talked about entails.

Members interjected.

MR HUMPHRIES: I know that it is hard to ask for information, is it not? I know that you want us to give you information; but, when it comes to your giving information, you are very much more tight lipped. But I think we are entitled to ask that question. We are about to put legislation on the books which may adversely affect the operations of the planning system in the future. I think we are interested in knowing what the circumstances are. I invite the Labor Party to provide the kind of information that they daily call on the Government to give.

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