Page 503 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 February 2012

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Members would be aware that there are certainly priorities in the Tuggeranong town centre, in Erindale, in Kambah, in Weston Creek, in Downer—in a variety of areas—and so my response in relation to the outcome in Hawker of the most recent round of community consultation was that that particular shopping centre and that particular community were not at a point of agreement in relation to a way forward so we would pause, take the opportunity for a period of reflection on those issues, focus the government’s resources on all of the other areas that I have just outlined, and have the opportunity in the next Assembly to resume a discussion in relation to the Hawker proposals.

My advice to the Friends of Hawker and Hawker traders is that if they can find a consensus in this period that would be a very good outcome.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Coe, a supplementary question.

MR COE: Minister, when did the government decide that the community did not want the proposed plans to go ahead, and will all government decisions in the future require community consensus?

MR BARR: Following the closure of the most recent round of consultations on the Hawker group centre, which I understand was at the end of January this year, my directorate prepared a report for me, and I made a decision on that basis.

MR HARGREAVES: A supplementary.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hargreaves.

MR HARGREAVES: Minister, in the context of consultation around the Hawker shops project, did Ms Porter facilitate some of the consultation around the project? Was consultation done with the Friends of Hawker or with the director of electorate services in the office of the Leader of the Opposition?

MR SPEAKER: Just focus on the first half of the question, thank you, Mr Barr.

Mr Hargreaves: Mr Speaker, the Friends of Hawker in fact have come out and talked about their involvement in the consultation process, and indeed so too did the director of electorate services purport to be involved in the consultation process around that. I think it is reasonable that we find out whether that happened or whether it did not.

MR SPEAKER: All right; let’s see how we go, Mr Barr.

MR BARR: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, standing order 118(b) says you cannot debate the subject, and the minister is not responsible for other groups. I ask for your ruling in light of your initial ruling.


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