Page 3195 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Many of us have been out there, including many Labor politicians. I know the Chief Minister has been out there and Bob McMullan has been out there. I note that you are nodding, Mr Assistant Speaker, so I assume you have also been out there. The problem is that there is long-standing apathy towards Billabong from this government. They do a lot of work with building hope and opportunity for Indigenous people. They do work especially for youth who are at risk. They have set up a number of businesses. They provide housing for Indigenous people. But the fundamental issue for the Billabong Aboriginal Corporation is that they must have some surety about their location in Holt, and they do not have that.
This is a matter I have raised for the last two or three years. They are currently on a short-term arrangement. It is most unsatisfactory. They cannot borrow against it. Therefore, they cannot expand. Billabong has invested a considerable amount of capital on the site and from this Billabong provides a range of valuable services. I am aware that Billabong has been attempting for some years now to negotiate with the ACT government for a long-term arrangement for the site. I asked the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs about this matter during estimates, and he told me that action is finally in train to amend the territory plan such that Billabong could have longer term access to the site. I look forward to the resolution of the matter.
The answer to the question, which the Chief Minister took on notice, is:
The Billabong Aboriginal Corporation currently occupies Block 1420 in the District of Belconnen.
Block 1420 is within the non urban NUZ3 hills, ridges and buffer zone of the Territory Plan.
The existing uses carried out by … Billabong … are inconsistent with the Territory Plan but ACT Planning and Land Authority is undertaking amendments to the Territory Plan to remedy this. The amendment is anticipated to commence in mid to late July 2010.
… Billabong … has been in contact with LAPS who are preparing a direct sale application.
I hope it progresses smoothly, and I am sure we all look forward to it. Billabong has also been involved in many discussions with ACT government departments and agencies on a range of services that could be provided by Billabong. The minister has provided a brief answer to me on this matter, an answer I do not really consider to be satisfactory. It is dismissive of approaches from Billabong, and we will be following this up in due course, but it is worth a read. I asked:
What is meant by the statement: ‘it has to be said that not everything that Billabong proposes or would wish to pursue is supported by the government.’
That is what the minister said—
What matters have been proposed by Billabong and have not been supported by the … government … Why have these matters not been supported by the … government.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video