Page 2588 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 2 July 2008
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Is the government committed to amending planning or any other related laws to ensure people who have invested in solar panels or who might be considering installing photovoltaic panels that their panels cannot be overshadowed and rendered ineffective?
MR BARR: I thank Dr Foskey for the question. Of course these matters are the subject of ongoing policy review. I did indicate that, upon the passage of the new territory plan and the new planning and development bill, we had moved out of, if you like, the policy neutrality straitjacket that was applied to that process and that these matters could then be considered in the context of a broad policy review across a range of areas within the planning system.
The issue that Dr Foskey raises is a relevant one and one that the government will consider in the future policy developments.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Foskey.
DR FOSKEY: What is the government’s time line for consideration and is the government introducing a scheme to compensate people whose solar panels get overshadowed because of this disconnect between solar tariff and planning laws or will it leave it to people to seek remedies through private civil law action?
MR BARR: The process of policy review has already begun across a range of areas within the planning system. I will be making further announcements in due course in relation to the government’s response across a range of issues.
Children—protection
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Minister for Children and Young People and it is in relation to care and protection. Minister, during estimates I asked you questions on notice regarding the relationship between ACT Policing and care and protection which your office asked my office to remove as you deemed them to be irrelevant to the estimates process. During question time yesterday, you said, in relation to the relationship between ACT Policing and care and protection, that “there have been some issues brought to our attention” as a result of the recent incident. In regard to the relationship between ACT Policing and care and protection, minister, what is it that you did not know? Did you choose not to know or did you simply not think that the issue was important enough?
MS GALLAGHER: Another gem from Vicki Dunne! In your preamble you alluded to my office requesting you to remove questions on notice. That is news to me; I certainly was not aware of that, and I will follow it up. I do not know if you withdrew them; that is certainly news to me and I will follow it up as to why it was requested. It is the first I have heard of it.
With respect to the issues that I alluded to yesterday—and I am trying not to go to matters that are currently before the court—in an issue that usually deals with care and protection, the police SACAT team and care and protection work together. There is a memorandum of understanding which sets out this joint process of appraisal,
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