Page 332 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
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in relation to this issue, is again an acceptance by the Liberal Party and the Greens that it is reasonable and appropriate to subvert an independent planning process. I simply don’t accept that. I do not resile from my support for the need to absolutely maintain the integrity of an independent planner at arm’s length from politicians—politicians who, in the week before an election, for perceived political advantage, make, for the first time in an entire campaign, a claim in relation to this particular issue. The Greens adopted this issue three days before the election, and now we have this confected—
Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I think Ms Bresnan’s question was about whether the Chief Minister would apologise to the community, and we’ve gone nearly two minutes into the question and we have had anything but. I am just dwelling on whether we would be dealing with an apology.
MR SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order, Mrs Dunne. Come to Ms Bresnan’s question, Chief Minister.
MR STANHOPE: Thanks, Mr Speaker; I certainly will. I don’t resile from my defence of the independent statutory planning process. The process for determining whether or not the site—
Mrs Dunne: You were asked whether you’d be sorry.
Mr Smyth: This was about a direct grant.
MR STANHOPE: The process for determining whether or not the proposal that is currently the subject of a development application for the site will go ahead has not yet concluded. It may be, were the development application to be continued with, that ACTPLA, the statutory planner, will determine that the use is entirely appropriate, that there are no concerns, that he is absolutely satisfied that all of the environmental, all of the health, all of the planning issues associated with the consideration of a development application for a particular development on a particular site, consistent with the territory plan, have been met in relation to this proposal. The development application is continuing. I do expect, and indeed hope, that it will be withdrawn, but at this stage it hasn’t been. Public consultation continues. One of the fine ironies of this debate is that—
Mr Hanson: Mr Speaker, I have a point of order as to relevance. The question is: will the Chief Minister apologise to the community? Yes or no?
MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please come to the specific question.
MR STANHOPE: There were six or seven questions.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan asked a specific question, Chief Minister.
MR STANHOPE: Well, there were five parts to it, but if that is your ruling, I’ll answer the question then. Yes or no? No.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Bresnan, a supplementary question?
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