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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 13 Hansard (27 November) . . Page.. 4815 ..

MRS CROSS (continuing):

that the issues related to the winding up of that quarry have not yet been finalised. They have also mentioned that they believe that they have been treated unfairly and have not had their cases heard. Minister, is the government still involved in actions, legal or otherwise, associated with the Williamsdale quarry?

MR QUINLAN: I will have to take that question on notice. Let me say, however, that there was a stream of questions from the then opposition in relation to the Williamsdale quarry as there jolly well should have been. This government has certainly found itself stuck with some difficulties. This really continues the theme of this morning in relation to Totalcare generally. Yes, it has been a difficult process and we are working through it. However, I will have to take on notice the question of exactly what stage it has reached and whether there are legal actions afoot or threatened, or whether letters have been exchanged.

MRS CROSS: Minister, in your answer to the first part of my question, would you also advise the Assembly what the results of those actions, if any, have been and when the people concerned can accept that the situation has been finalised?

MR QUINLAN: Okay, it is probably sensible to give you as full a briefing as possible. However, it may be the case that the people involved may never be satisfied. There were certainly some quite acrimonious disputes afoot at the time. As I said, this is a continuation of, and probably an indicator of, how things were when our friends over there were in government.

Aldi supermarkets

MS MacDONALD: My question is to the Minister for Planning, Mr Corbell. Minister, you announced today that the ACT government has agreed to a direct sale of land to Aldi Foods Pty Ltd. Can you please advise the Assembly of the details of this decision?

MR CORBELL: I thank Ms MacDonald for the question and acknowledge her interest in ensuring that residents in Tuggeranong get access to cheaper groceries. That, fundamentally, is the objective behind the government's announcement that it will sell directly to Aldi two sites for discount supermarkets at the Kippax group centre and the Conder group centre.

These two sites, which are blocks 15, 16 and 53, section 51, Holt and part block 2, section 228, Conder, will add to the existing three Aldi supermarkets either already operating or proposed for Canberra, at Gungahlin and Greenway and the one over the border in Queanbeyan. The government's approach to the direct sale of land at Conder is contingent on a Territory Plan variation being approved. The direct sale of land at Kippax is subject to planning conditions, which are currently being finalised for the direct sale and offer of the lease. The government will be selling the land at market value.

The most important thing the government is seeking to achieve through this direct grant is the introduction of further competition into the supermarket area in the ACT. We Canberrans frequently complain about the cost of basic groceries, and we know that the ACT has a high level of market dominance by one of the major national supermarket

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