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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 10 Hansard (24 November) . . Page.. 2804 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

Mr Speaker, following the particularly nice words that were said about Sylvia Curley this morning, it is quite timely that we table variation No. 105 to the Territory Plan. It relates to Mugga Mugga, a property at Symonston section 103, block 6. The purpose of the variation is to reserve the land occupied by the historic Mugga Mugga property as a public land special purpose reserve. The variation also makes some minor changes to policies in the Territory Plan which apply to the property.

Mugga Mugga is a 17-hectare rural property containing a small cottage and associated buildings. It is a significant example of an early rural worker's home and has longstanding associations with the Duntroon estate and the Curley family. The public land overlays on the Territory Plan map identify the areas reserved as public land in accordance with the provisions of the Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991. The management objectives for various categories of public land are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Land Act. The schedule specifies that special purpose reserves are intended to provide for public and community use for recreation and education purposes. The variation amends the Territory Plan by adding the public land special purpose reserve overlay to the Mugga Mugga site.

The designation of the Mugga Mugga property as public land triggers a requirement for the Conservator of Flora and Fauna to prepare a plan of management for the area. This plan of management would address land management matters essential for conservation of the grassland values, and maintenance of the property's rural heritage and educational values. These include issues such as stocking rates and management, weed control, erosion control, indigenous plantings and fencing of grassland areas. The plan of management will also reflect any relevant requirements of the heritage citation.

The variation also expands the list of permitted uses to include a cultural facility and an educational establishment, to allow for the museum and education centre currently located within the Mugga Mugga property. The entry for Mugga Mugga in the Heritage Places Register at Appendix V of the Territory Plan Written Statement includes "specific requirements" which specify the requirements for conserving the heritage significance of each identified place. The specific requirements for Mugga Mugga are amended to respond to more recent developments in the conservation policy and program.

The Standing Committee on Urban Services considered the draft variation and, in Report No. 14 of October 1998, endorsed the draft variation. I would again thank the committee for their work.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (3.45): For the information of members, I present the Government's response to the Standing Committee on Education Report No. 1, entitled "The Future Provision of Preschool Education", which was presented to the Assembly on 22 September this year. I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

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