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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 3247 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

We also must acknowledge that, as part of the development, erecting a large building and tarring much of the remaining site for access roads and car parks means that this patch of woodland that has survived for so long may not survive into the future. Even if the trees are left standing, the impact of the development on the site will significantly reduce their ability to thrive into the future.

It is important to protect existing significant trees, but we also have to think about the longer term. These ancient trees were growing on the site before the First Fleet arrived in Australia and, if we think these trees are worth protecting for our generation to enjoy, surely the site should be managed so there are still some magnificent trees there 200 years from now. This site has some healthy regrowth, but that would be lost if the site is redeveloped.

I think that we will have some debate this morning about how we can't just stop and protect every tree that we want to, that there does need to be the recognition that we do have a growing city. I understand that and I support that, but this is a very significant patch in an area that is already developed. There are options being put forward to the government to save these trees. I'm informed the current owners of the site, Coles Myer, do not have any immediate plans to build on the site, because the development they were planning is already currently being well supplied through the Belconnen Town Centre.

If this is the case, then we do have a window of opportunity to talk to Coles Myer about whether or not they are willing to surrender the site to the ACT government, possibly in return for a monetary sum equal to the market value of the site, or they may be willing to do a land swap for the site. Another vacant site is available in the Belconnen Town Centre area. I understand there is a site between Rae Street and Bayles Street which is currently owned by the ACT government and has on it no endangered trees.

With the ACT returning such a strong budget surplus, I'm sure that the money is there to buy back the site. It may cost little or nothing to swap the site for another vacant site similar in size, similar in location, that could meet the demands of the current owners.

The Treasurer has been making quite strong points about the budget surpluses that we have, how they are not necessarily reoccurring budget surpluses into the future, that we only have limited opportunities to look at how we can invest this money. Here's a simple, low-cost investment that could return great things to the ACT community as we continue to work to preserve our bush capital heritage.

What we're talking about today, at the Nettlefold Street site, is a beautiful remnant of an endangered woodland type in a very prominent position, and the government has the opportunity to step in and protect this patch for current and future generations.

There are other sites in the area that are much more suitable for development, and there has been a very strong community campaign to protect these trees, with over 1,500 residents signing petitions calling on the government to preserve the area as public open space. In fact, 200 more signatures were tabled today by Ms Tucker.

I would like to thank the community for working so hard on this campaign that has led me to move this motion today. We have seen different groups and members of the community come together to protect this site, collecting petitions; art works have been

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