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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 5 Hansard (1 May) . . Page.. 1315 ..

Miscellaneous paper

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Business, Tourism and the Arts and Minister for Police and Emergency Services): Mr Speaker, for the information of members I present the following paper:

I ask for leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, for the information of members I am pleased to table details of the government's land release program for the year 2001-02 and the indicative program for the financial years 2002-03 through to 2005-06. The program covers residential, commercial and community land releases. For next financial year, blocks for approximately 1,800 residential dwellings and 15 commercial sites are being prepared for release. Over the next 12 months sites suitable for retirement complexes and adaptable housing will be identified and brought forward for release.

The program for next year gives significant emphasis to expanding the Gungahlin town centre. Four hundred additional residential dwellings will be released, as well as a second retail site.

Mr Speaker, a key milestone will also be achieved at Kingston foreshore where the first blocks on the site, which will provide for 175 residential dwellings, will be released as stage 1a. A further release of another 175 residential dwellings, known as stage 1b, will follow later in the year. This is the start of a 10-year program of land releases which, when completed, will see up to 1,900 new dwellings on the foreshore.

Mr Speaker, as a general principle, land will be released through open competitive processes. Open and restricted auctions will be used, although tenders and direct sales may be considered for significant developments to encourage investment in the territory or to achieve specific business or community outcomes. Market conditions and market demands for additional land will determine the timing and number of releases.

Releases will be made in close consultation with the residential and commercial advisory groups, which include representatives from peak bodies, industry groups and government. The work of these groups is essential in having the best possible market information across Canberra and Queanbeyan.

The document tabled today will be circulated to all community councils and to LAPACs. It will also be available to the wider community through the government web site.

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