Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Wednesday, 25 August 2004) . . Page.. 4151 ..

The changes relating to the realignment of Jaeger Circuit are minor and will facilitate the development of an aged care facility on the land, the majority of which is already subject to the community facility policy. The other changes expand the amount of land available for conservation and recreation purposes.

The variation was released for public comment on 20 May this year, with comments closing on 5 July this year. A total of five written submissions were received during that period. No changes were made to the variation as a result of the consultation process.

In its report No 35 of 24 August 2004, the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment made three recommendations in relation to the draft variation. The committee’s first recommendation was that variation 241, aged care facility, additional urban open space and expansion of Gossan Hill Nature Park, South Bruce should proceed.

The committee’s second recommendation was that the government ensure that there is adequate access for maintenance, fire mitigation and emergency ingress and egress to the existing Haydon Drive access stub and Gossan Hill, as appropriate. Provision has been made for an emergency vehicle secondary access through the aged care development, linking the internal access road to Haydon Drive. A condition will be included in the lease for the site and the lessee will be responsible for providing and maintaining access for emergency vehicles into and through the block from Haydon Drive to Gossan Hill. The lease and development conditions for the site require that the development application be accompanied by a comprehensive fire management plan that describes the manner and frequency of the range of measures to mitigate bushfire and other risks on the site.

The committee’s third recommendation was that the government ensure that future developments follow the more desirable process of dealing with the detailed land use issues at an early stage in the development of a proposal. The government notes this recommendation and agrees that this is a desirable practice. However, this territory plan variation arose at the end of the planning process. Planning studies for the site had to be undertaken to determine the ultimate land form before it was agreed a variation was necessary. I commend the variation to the Assembly.

Labor government

MR SMYTH (Leader of the Opposition) (3.27): I move:

That this Assembly condemns the Labor government for its failures in health, education, business, tourism, community safety, aged care, housing, family services, sport and recreation and water management.

Mr Speaker, this government came to office promising much. But what they did not promise the people of Canberra is how they would do it. And what they promised was to consult and develop plans. I can remember an article in the Canberra Times that quoted the Chief Minister saying, “There’ll be no two to three-month delays before we swing into action; we’re ready to do the job.” The Chief Minister was absolutely right; there were no two to three-month delays.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .