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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (28 November) . . Page.. 3321 ..

MR HIRD (continuing):

the latest proposal is called version 10 because of the number of proposals that had gone before it.

The version 10 proposal is accompanied by detailed documents pointing to the lack of viability of the local centre. Anyone who knows the centre would know that it is now in a deplorable condition and its refurbishment is long overdue. My committee carefully scrutinised all of the information about the latest proposal for the Latham local centre. The committee, with one member dissenting, concluded that version 10, as it is known, offers a way out of the existing situation.

It does not please everyone, but my colleague Mr Rugendyke and I, the local members in the area, believe that it is pointless to wait around until more investigation is done of the viability of this local centre. We believe that it is time to cut through the delays and encourage redevelopment of the centre. That is also PALM's view. We think that a mix of residential and commercial use of the land is appropriate. Also, and this is a most important point, we think that the amount of retail space proposed in version 10 is about the most that is possible at the present time in Latham.

We might be wrong, and readers of our report will see that we faithfully report on other points of view, but we think the time has come to go with what is possible and feasible, so we are prepared to stick our necks out on this one and say, "For heaven's sake, let something happen to the Latham local centre that will improve the existing mess." We can always hope that at a later time, if circumstances change, some of the proposed residential development will revert to commercial use, but do not hang around forever waiting for this state of affairs to arrive.

The final point that I want to make is that this report by the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services is another example of a committee of the Assembly playing a municipal-type role in our community on behalf of this parliament. That is very important, Mr Deputy Speaker. We should not underestimate the value of a local government type of role in addressing various problems within our community. As all members know, this parliament and the government have responsibility for both state and local roles, and they should aim to do them well. I commend the report to the house.

In doing so, I point out that one member of the committee, Mr Corbell, dissents from this report. Mr Deputy Speaker, due to pressing engagements of which I am sure you would be aware, Mr Corbell has not as yet been able to prepare his dissenting report. I understand that one will be coming down and that he will be asking for the leave of the parliament to incorporate his dissent in this report. I will be pleased to move for its incorporation at the time Mr Corbell presents his dissent.

In closing, I recommend that the report be agreed to. I thank all the parties that gave evidence to the committee and assisted it in its deliberations, as well as officers of PALM, as usual, and I thank the Minister for Urban Services. Also, I thank my colleagues Mr Corbell and Mr Rugendyke as well as the secretariat for their valuable assistance. I commend the report to the house.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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