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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (20 June) . . Page.. 2243 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

I think it is worth keeping paragraph (2) in the motion that the Assembly agrees on tonight. It will provide PALM with an additional source of advice, comment and feedback on the themes and issues that the government's own community consultative bodies are concerned about when it comes to dual occupancy development.

Ms Tucker has moved an amendment which deals with the provision of additional resources to LAPACs. I may be misquoting the minister, and I am sure he will correct me if I am wrong, but I do not think he has indicated opposition to that amendment. If that is the case that is a welcome step, because LAPACs are poorly supported at the moment.

I am somewhat critical of the government's approach to the conduct of LAPACs. They talk up the capacity of LAPACs to be involved in the consultation process on planning, but they do not adequately resource those bodies to do their job. For example, there is only one ASO2 officer dedicated full-time to providing secretariat support for all of the LAPACs across the city. That is a fairly poor level of secretarial support. I recognise that other PALM officers attend and do devote their time, and they often devote their time outside normal working hours, but the government needs to get serious about properly resourcing LAPACs with the mechanics they need to do their job.

I urge members to support my motion as outlined on the notice paper, and I urge members to support Ms Tucker's amendment. I think it is a worthwhile amendment. I also urge members to support my foreshadowed amendment to Mr Smyth's foreshadowed amendment which will include his proposal as paragraph (4) of the motion. I think we will then have quite an effective motion in relation to this Assembly's view on dual occupancy development and the capacity to engender a constructive debate on where we go with this type of development activity in the future.

MR CORBELL: I seek leave to speak again.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: I thank members. I have received some advice from the Clerk and the best way to approach this issue in relation to Mr Smyth's foreshadowed amendment is for me to move another amendment which basically incorporates Mr Smyth's proposal but as a separate amendment to the motion. Because Mr Smyth seeks to omit my paragraph (2) and replace it with his own, and because I do not want to see that happen, I will be moving a second amendment which will create a new paragraph (4) which incorporates all of the elements of Mr Smyth's foreshadowed amendment but without omitting my paragraph (2). I hope that is clear to members. I thank members for their indulgence.

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Business, Tourism and the Arts and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (9.24): Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, perhaps for the sake of clarity I could state what the government would like to see happen with the outcome of this. Taking on board what Mr Corbell has said, I still think it is more appropriate that-

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