Page 3683 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 26 August 2009
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need to support local construction activity and give Canberrans access to the enhanced first home owners’ grant.
Chief Minister, the Canberra Times reported last Saturday that the developers were still negotiating with the government on the prices to be paid for the grant and that the transaction had not been completed as of the date of the article. It was therefore impossible for the developers to sell the land, due to the incomplete deal. Chief Minister, why did you make this announcement before price negotiations had been completed?
MR STANHOPE: There is an accepted methodology in relation to the valuation of land for direct sale. It is that three independent valuations will be sought and the highest of the three valuations will be the price to be paid for the land. It is a simple equation, it is an equation that applies in relation to all direct grants and it will apply in relation to this particular case.
Having said that, let me say that, particularly in relation to new estates, greenfield estates, there are sometimes offsets that are involved in negotiations in relation to the contribution made by a particular developer—for instance, for roads and other infrastructure. I believe that, in relation to west Macgregor, there is an ongoing—I will confirm this and provide greater detail. But it is my understanding of those negotiations—negotiations, of course, which I am not involved in—that the underlying principle of valuation applies in this case as it does in all others: that there will be three valuations and the highest valuation will apply.
But there are negotiations in relation to developer contribution or offsets to infrastructure or to other necessary works that need to be undertaken. One of the issues at west Macgregor which I am not sure has been finally resolved is an issue in relation to either the rehabilitation or the relocation of a fairly significant sewer or sewage outlet and issues in relation to the rehabilitation of sewerage infrastructure in relation to west Macgregor.
They are some of the issues, but as to the exact issue in relation to the non-finalisation of a payment, I will have to take some further advice on that. I am more than happy to provide it in time.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary question?
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, when do you anticipate that this process will be completed and will you guarantee that no first home buyer will miss out on the grant as a result of the delay?
MR STANHOPE: I will have to take the question on notice.
Canberra international airport—master plan
MS HUNTER: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, last week you made available to the federal minister for transport a preliminary draft report on the first three months of the Hackett noise monitoring project, in anticipation of him
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