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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 9 Hansard (20 August) . . Page.. 2409 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

The committee recommended that the business plan and financial modelling underpinning the new land development agency be subject to independent assessment, and that the results of this assessment be published.

Moving to other areas, members of the committee expressed concern about a number of areas. The improved quality of subdivisions and better planning outcomes seemed to depend largely on reduced density of housing, which would tend to reduce the return to the government when compared to the previous approach to land development.

The committee also found that there was a need for a clear explanation of how the improved quality of subdivisions and better planning outcomes could be achieved in this new model. There was also some discussion about the effect of draft variation 200.

I want to quickly touch on a few other areas. The committee noted that, in the course of the hearings, the decision was announced by the government not to continue with the V8 car races in the ACT. Members were given evidence about this, but it was suggested that government expenditure relating to the car race be redeployed within tourism, or specifically within the Canberra Tourism Events Corporation.

This was not evidence given directly to the committee but was announced in subsequent statements by the tourism minister. The majority of the committee recommends that the money be retained within CTEC for tourism-related expenditure. I would welcome a statement in this house on that subject by the minister.

The committee examined at some length the question of rising government revenue from stamp duty on insurance premiums. It noted the claim that there was a windfall of approximately $2.6 million, exclusive of the government's previous commitment to spend money on a rebate scheme to benefit certain community organisations. (Extension of time granted.) Exclusive of that rebate to community organisations, which has been legislated for already, there was something like $2.6 million available last financial year in additional stamp duty. Presumably that will again be available this financial year.

The committee recommended that the government examine the possibility of in some way returning at least part of that windfall gain from stamp duty and rising premiums to the community,. It suggested, for example, establishing an advisory scheme on reducing actuarial risk-which has been encountered by small community organisations or possibly small businesses-or establishing an underwriting pool for community organisations. The committee would be interested to see the government's consideration of those suggestions.

The government looked at the question of a diverse range of issues, including the question of car parking. It noted some evidence from ministers appearing before the committee that it was possible that, when parking fees were imposed in Belconnen and Tuggeranong, some recurrent costs for the provision of car parking-as opposed to capital cost-at colleges such as Lake Tuggeranong College, could be a cost incurred by the education department. The committee recommended that the government review any plan to attribute any cost, other than that relating to the building and maintenance of the relevant car parks for colleges, to the education department.

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