Page 2947 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 6 August 2008
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decisions actually without the constant assistance and guidance of our officials. The government made a decision in relation to this matter through our processes and the decision has been announced—and a very good decision it was.
Gas-fired power station
MRS BURKE: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, the planning minister noted today in his press release regarding an environmental impact assessment into the Tuggeranong data centre debacle that:
Following a thorough and independent evaluation of the Preliminary Assessment by ACTPLA, their advice to me is that further environmental assessment of the proposal is required in the key areas of health …
Minister, what would your health assessment add that the EIS will not cover?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mrs Burke for the question. I have had some discussions this morning with the steering committee providing advice to me on the health impact assessment. The decision we have taken is that the health impact assessment should run along with the full environmental impact assessment that is now underway. They have been rolled in together, and those processes will run concurrently.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Burke?
MRS BURKE: Minister, will the proponents be forced to pay for both the EIS and your health assessment? If so, have they been advised of this new expectation?
MS GALLAGHER: I can only answer in terms of the health impact assessment. Certainly, the decision was that the proponents pay for that work. That work will be completed as part of the full EIS.
Gungahlin Drive extension
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, traffic numbers tabled by your transport minister yesterday confirm that traffic volumes on the GDE are 19,400 vehicles north of Belconnen Way and 29,300 vehicles on Caswell Drive. Chief Minister, do you stand by your comments on ABC radio that these traffic volumes were unexpected?
MR STANHOPE: Certainly what was unexpected and not anticipated was the extent to which the lack of merging capacity on Caswell Drive south of Belconnen Way would cause the delay and the frustrations that it caused. The great difficulty is, of course, that cars travelling north on Belconnen Way wishing to turn south into Caswell Drive actually create a difficulty, interestingly, for cars travelling south on the GDE as they approach Aranda.
Certainly the government never anticipated or expected the extent to which there would be a merging incapacity there. We are moving quickly, through the provision of an underspend on the construction of the GDE, to expand Caswell Drive. It is our
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