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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 3961 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

Of course, it is quite open to any government, using a potential statement of planning intent, to outline where it believes the Territory Plan can or should be changed. But, of course, such changes would not take effect until the Territory Plan was properly varied through the statutory process, including potential disallowance by this place.

The issue of the qualifications of the chief planning executive was also raised. Again, if some members contributing to this debate had taken the time to look at the government's response to the planning and environment committee's report on this legislative package, they would see that the government has agreed to the recommendation that we outline what we believe the qualifications of the chief planning executive should be.

Finally, Mr Smyth raised the prospect of the authority reviewing its own decisions. I have to put to Mr Smyth, through you, Mr Speaker, that the proposition is that the authority have the capacity to reconsider a decision-not review its own decision but reconsider its decision. That, indeed, is supported unanimously by his colleague Mrs Dunne and the other members of the planning and environment committee in their report to this place. So perhaps it would help if the former planning minister and the shadow minister spoke to each other a little bit more.

This is extremely important legislation. It is legislation that we, as a government, believe will be a step-certainly not the only step, but a step-in delivering a more robust, accountable and independent agency for planning, administration and advice in the territory.

Members of the Assembly-and, in particular, the standing committee-have now had ample time to read, understand and question this package of legislation. The report of the Standing Committee on Planning and the Environment has certainly added greatly to the discussion, and I thank those members for their report, as I did on Tuesday.

I would like to outline to members the combined effect of this package, and it really is very straightforward. Three new bodies are established: the Planning and Land Authority, the Planning and Land Council and the Land Development Agency. Overarching policy, as pointed out by Ms Tucker, will remain with the Assembly and the government, as it does now.

The Planning and Land Authority will have responsibility for the development and implementation of the territory's planning and land management policies and for regulation. The authority will be vested with decision-making powers. It will not act only as a delegate of the minister or the executive in most matters, contrary to Mr Smyth's assertion-and, indeed, this is particularly the case in relation to development assessment and leasing-and it will also have access to high-level expert advice from the Planning and Land Council.

The council itself will comprise people with a high level of expertise and experience in a range of planning and land-related fields. Its function will be to provide advice to the minister and the authority; it will not have decision-making powers.

The Land Development Agency will be responsible for the delivery of the government's land development program and for the sale of land. It will also have the capacity to undertake significant redevelopment on behalf of the territory. The agency will have

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