Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 9 Hansard (2 September) . . Page.. 2802 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

the public's consideration of the master plan, and will you consider directly referring the plan to the Urban Services Committee as a whole instead of having PALM break it up into separate draft variations?

MR SMYTH: I thank Mr Osborne for his question. It is very important to put this into context. There seems to be some perception that there was no community consultation on this.

Mr Hargreaves: No, it was flawed.

MR SMYTH: When members opposite do not like something, the process is flawed. When you cannot attack an outcome, you go for the process. It is quite simple. Let me talk about the coverage that this has received. We first and foremost had a young people's and planning workshop. They talked about it. The Chronicle reported the young people's workshop; the Valley View reported the planning workshop. There was a Canberra Times article. I put out press releases. There were further Canberra Times articles. I put out another press release.

We then put up a public display and gave out some 2,500 questionnaires. We then had it on display in the Hyperdome, in the Tuggeranong Library, at social clubs and in other centres. There was a further Valley View article and Chronicle article. We then had a Tuggeranong Community Council presentation. It was reported yet again in the Valley View, and interviews were then done on the ABC. There was even a phone-in so that people could give their opinion.

That was all before the first public meeting. Then we had a public meeting. Seventy people with an interest in what goes on in their valley turned up. It was a well-received meeting, and the planning officials took on board what was said. But did it stop there? No. We then had a further Valley View article on it. We then had lake user consultation. We went out and we talked to groups like the sea scouts and the sailboarders. We talked to residents. We talked to the Tuggeranong Community Arts Council. Mr Speaker, it goes on and on. There were further reports in the Valley View on another two occasions. Then the Canberra Times did another article on the consultation and people helping develop the plan.

But it did not stop there. We then had some TV coverage, then the Valley View made another reference to it. The Chronicle made another reference to it, and we then went out for another round of public displays and questionnaires. This was again reported in the Valley View and the Chronicle. We then had another phone-in session on 18 June on ABC radio - a 30-minute interview, lots of phone-ins and lots of conversations. I then put out another press release. We then had another round of public displays and questionnaires at the Hyperdome and at the Tuggeranong Library. Another 500 questionnaires were distributed.

We then had another public meeting. It just goes on and on. There were follow-up meetings with the residents, with the sea scouts and with Business Tuggeranong. There were more reports in the Valley View. We have had quite a fine process. Some residents

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .