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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 03 Hansard (Tuesday, 9 March 2004) . . Page.. 891 ..

MR CORBELL: I know that they hate this stuff, absolutely hate it, but they are the only people in Canberra criticising the spatial plan. Everybody else is on board, but not carping Brendan Smyth and his colleagues over there. Negativity, negativity, negativity is all we hear from Mrs Dunne and is all we hear from Mr Smyth.

Opposition members interjecting—

MR SPEAKER: Order! Members of the opposition will be silent while Mr Corbell directs his comments through the chair.

MR CORBELL: The NCA’s further support for the East Basin renewal was that it aligned so closely with initiatives developed as part of the NCA’s Burley Griffin legacy project. On top of that, ACT Shelter indicated that it was fully supportive of any measures that would increase the supply of houses in the national capital.

The ACT Council of Social Service said that it was pleased that the government had made reference to affordable housing. The conservation council of the ACT indicated its support for the East Basin development, saying, as have others, that the government would need to proceed with great care and make highly detailed studies before proceeding. That is exactly what we will do.

The feedback has been very strong. The Housing Industry Association provided support for the plan and noted the need to ensure the provision of affordable housing in the future, particularly within the East Basin area. The conservation council highlighted its support for a settlement pattern which further supported sustainable transport outcomes.

This document got nine out of 10—not from the government but from what you would have to say is not the normal Labor Party constituency, with the Property Council saying that it is the right way to go. The only people who do not believe that are the members of the Liberal Party.

MR HARGREAVES: I have a supplementary question. Could the minister advise us whether there was any comment from the Housing Industry Association? In any event, what is the government going to do to implement the plan?

MR CORBELL: The government is already working through the implementation. I think that the opposition will continue to struggle in making its assertions, especially in coming weeks, but the government is working very hard to implement these issues. For example, planning work in the Molonglo area has already commenced. We have already advertised for expressions of interest, in partnership with the National Capital Authority, in doing the detailed planning work in the Molonglo Valley. The government will be commencing shortly the preparation of studies for the East Basin and the Majura corridor.

The government, as I indicated in my answer to Mrs Cross earlier in question time, is releasing land, and proposes to continue the release of land, in Civic to support the revitalisation of Civic. We are continuing to release land in our town centres, including in Woden and Belconnen, to strengthen those areas. Territory plan variations and

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