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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3309 ..

MRS DUNNE (continuing):

I refer to the minister's announcement on 17 September concerning the protection of Canberra's open space. In that statement, Minister, you said:

At the last election Labor promised to once and for all identify and classify all unleased land in the Territory.

In actual fact, what you said at the last election was that you promised to identify and classify Canberra's open space network.

Can you clarify for members when you decided that every piece of unleased land is currently up for grabs, and does this include the proposed new suburbs of Moncrieff, Kenny, Crace, Kinlyside, Casey, Taylor, Forde, Throsby, Harrison and Gungahlin?

MR CORBELL: I am happy to clarify the process for Mrs Dunne. As I previously indicated in question time in an earlier sitting, I was happy to provide to any members who requested it the criteria being used by PALM, as well as the interim audit process used by Land Group in relation to land they have responsibility for.

To come to the key issue raised by Mrs Dunne: the assessment does not include land which is not currently within the urban area. For instance, it does not include forest land; nor does it include hills, ridges and buffer areas. That is the first point to make.

Applications are being processed by Land Group and PALM from a diverse range of groups for a variety of purposes for the use of land that could be included within the open space network project. The applications for these sites are generally for direct sale, and these are at various stages of assessment.

These applications are at various stages of consideration, which means they will be treated in a somewhat different manner to other parcels of land. In particular, where an in-principle agreement for the sale of land has been given, the community organisation would have a reasonable expectation that their application has been agreed to, subject to the remaining actions being undertaken. For example, where there is in-principle agreement to the sale of the land and community consultation has commenced, the land should not be included within the broader open space network project.

Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I think we have heard this answer before, to the question that Ms Tucker asked earlier about the pocket park in Yarralumla. My question was about the criteria for the open space analysis. This is not about land previously classified as community land. In any case, the way the minister is going, he has actually already answered the question, and he is wasting our time.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, you asked the question. I am afraid the minister can answer the question however he wishes. If he doesn't wish to proceed and you are satisfied, we will move to the next question without notice.

MR CORBELL: Mrs Dunne just said she was happy with my answer, so I have stopped.

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