Ms MARTIN - 1998-10-08
Under the Country Liberal Party’s planning laws, Territory families can have their lives ruined by inappropriate developments. The families who now have to live amongst a sea of noise, fluoro lights and petrol fumes next to the Woolworths petrol station in Nightcliff have the Country Liberal Party’s planning laws to thank.
Minister, why haven’t you told Woolies to move their service station? And what have you done to make sure this type of debacle never happens again?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a very good question, and I’m glad the honourable member for Fannie Bay asked it. It certainly is of some concern that Woolworths were able to develop that service station. Unfortunately, the zoning in place at the time prevented the Planning Authority from rejecting the application. In fact, it was not subject to a planning application at all.
Just yesterday, we had the property manager from Woolworths (Northern Territory/South Australia) in my office and I understand, as a result of those meetings, that Woolworths has recognised the concern of neighbours in relation to that service station site. I am told that the fumes related to the first loading of the underground tanks and they have resolved the problem with petrol fumes. I am told that the residents are becoming increasingly more comfortable with the service station and Woolworths have taken it on board.
Unfortunately, and I have said this before in this place, the planning laws in the Northern Territory are not as good as they could be. There should be certainty, and we will move to ensure there is certainty in the Planning Act. Certainty for residential neighbours, certainty for business, certainty for the community. I agree with the honourable member for Fannie Bay that this is an unfortunate occurrence.
Whilst I am on my feet I might add that I have invited the concerned residents of Jingili in to my office today to discuss the issue of the redevelopment of the Marrara Airport Hotel. In conjunction with the member for Jingili, we have done quite a deal of work there and I share the concerns of those neighbours. We will be attempting to resolve that problem. But I recognise, there are problems with the Planning Act and we will fix them.
Ms MARTIN: I asked the minister about what he is going to do to make sure that this does not happen again, and I would like to see a time frame. We have inadequate laws, and when are you going to do something about the regulations of the control plan?
Mr PALMER: I can categorically guarantee, Madam Speaker, that there will be no new service station built at the Woolworths site, so it will not happen again. We are working through the processes. We have had the Earl James report. We are working through the processes to amend the Planning Act, to make it more user friendly and to give greater certainty to everybody in the community.
Minister, why haven’t you told Woolies to move their service station? And what have you done to make sure this type of debacle never happens again?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is a very good question, and I’m glad the honourable member for Fannie Bay asked it. It certainly is of some concern that Woolworths were able to develop that service station. Unfortunately, the zoning in place at the time prevented the Planning Authority from rejecting the application. In fact, it was not subject to a planning application at all.
Just yesterday, we had the property manager from Woolworths (Northern Territory/South Australia) in my office and I understand, as a result of those meetings, that Woolworths has recognised the concern of neighbours in relation to that service station site. I am told that the fumes related to the first loading of the underground tanks and they have resolved the problem with petrol fumes. I am told that the residents are becoming increasingly more comfortable with the service station and Woolworths have taken it on board.
Unfortunately, and I have said this before in this place, the planning laws in the Northern Territory are not as good as they could be. There should be certainty, and we will move to ensure there is certainty in the Planning Act. Certainty for residential neighbours, certainty for business, certainty for the community. I agree with the honourable member for Fannie Bay that this is an unfortunate occurrence.
Whilst I am on my feet I might add that I have invited the concerned residents of Jingili in to my office today to discuss the issue of the redevelopment of the Marrara Airport Hotel. In conjunction with the member for Jingili, we have done quite a deal of work there and I share the concerns of those neighbours. We will be attempting to resolve that problem. But I recognise, there are problems with the Planning Act and we will fix them.
Ms MARTIN: I asked the minister about what he is going to do to make sure that this does not happen again, and I would like to see a time frame. We have inadequate laws, and when are you going to do something about the regulations of the control plan?
Mr PALMER: I can categorically guarantee, Madam Speaker, that there will be no new service station built at the Woolworths site, so it will not happen again. We are working through the processes. We have had the Earl James report. We are working through the processes to amend the Planning Act, to make it more user friendly and to give greater certainty to everybody in the community.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016