Page 2481 - Week 08 - Thursday, 30 August 2007
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they think it is a pretty efficient use of the land. But apparently Treasury thinks otherwise. And why would Treasury think otherwise, Mr Speaker? They think otherwise because they see it as a valuable cash cow from which revenue can be milked for the government.
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Corbell. In the context of the Phillip pool redevelopment, I urge Mr Barr to take up his predecessor’s good fight to retain open public spaces. I think that ACTPLA and the planning minister will have an interesting year. The new planning system has promised a quick and efficient process. The booming development industry will be leaning on them to deliver that quicker, efficient response when it faces unequalled demand and unequalled opportunities. There are many of us with a strong commitment to social and environmental sustainability, to community development and respectful process that will watch what this process delivers in terms of throwing up opportunities for building a better city.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra—Leader of the Opposition) (6.09): I wish, briefly, to mention one thing that Mr Mulcahy did not have time to mention. I refer to media release No 363 of 2007 from Mr Stanhope entitled “Better than expected results boost budget position”. I will read out the relevant paragraph and then table the release, which was issued on 30 August:
Whilst it might be tempting to see the one-off impacts on last year’s interim result as an excuse to indulge in some significant additional spending or to cut revenue streams by winding back taxes, this would be irresponsible in the extreme. What these results now and into the future do allow is for some capacity for targeted sustainable expenditure on infrastructure and prerogative services.
I table that release.
MR SPEAKER: You need leave, Mr Stefaniak.
MR STEFANIAK: I seek leave to table that release.
Leave granted.
MR STEFANIAK: I table the following paper:
Budget 2007-2008—Better than expected results boosts budget position—copy of media release by the Chief Minister, dated August 2007.
I thank the Assembly.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Planning, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Minister for Industrial Relations) (6.10): I thank members for their contributions to this line item. As a relatively new planning minister it was fascinating in this debate to hear the wonderful divergence of opinion in the Assembly on planning matters. Dr Foskey observed that I find myself in a middle ground, and I do.
DR FOSKEY: You play in the middle ground.
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