Page 595 - Week 02 - Thursday, 9 March 2006

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interest that might flow from breaches of licence conditions, particularly those concerned with health and safety.

Clause 25 (1) (a) gives an authorised person power to enter a place with or without the consent of the occupier. I support this approach and hope that the regulations will not circumscribe this important regulatory power. Clause 33 (2) provides that the chief executive must give written notice of any reviewable decision made under the act. I welcome the public accountability inherent in this measure and I hope that ACTPLA and the planning minister take note of the scope of this notification requirement when next assessing whom to notify of impending development proposals. However, I note with some alarm the range of reviewable decisions that must be notified in clause 32 and fear that forests will have to fall to fulfil this obligation. The drafters may not anticipate problems with this requirement, but I do.

I anticipate that the construction and operation of a dragway would generate considerable opposition, and probably administrative review challenges, not least among the residents of north Canberra who are not internal combustion engine fanatics and who will have to bear the high-pitched scream of drag car engines whenever the dragway is in operation. In this light, I hope the government has carefully thought out the scope of this notification requirement. With these few reservations, I will be supporting this bill, as amended.

MR QUINLAN (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Business, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for Racing and Gaming) (5.47), in reply: I thank members for their support, such as it is. Given the time, debate on the bill will be adjourned. There will be amendments, but I am sure that they will discussed at the appropriate time.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Detail stage

Bill, by leave, taken as a whole.

Debate (on motion by Mr Corbell) adjourned to the next sitting.

Statement by member

Leave granted.

MR QUINLAN: First, let me apologise for the extended length of the notice period of my retirement. That was forced upon me by pressures of the media, and we wanted to get

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