Minister, you are well aware that for some time my colleague the member for Millner and myself have made representations to your office to voice residents’ concerns over the preservation of Rapid Creek and its environs. In particular, I refer to the area bounded by Rapid Creek Road, which includes the Water Gardens and the large blocks along Freshwater Road. To this end, a process of developing a land use objective for the area was established last year and a number of public meetings were held to seek public consultation and input on the matter.

Minister, can you please advise the House what is the progress with the Rapid Creek LUO?

ANSWER

Mr Speaker, I certainly endorse what the member for Jingili has said about his continued interest in this matter and the interest of the member for Millner as well. They have taken a very keen interest in keeping their constituents informed.

This is a very significant area of our urban Darwin settlement, there being a freshwater creek right in the middle of the urban area. I can inform members, particularly the 2 members involved, that as the member for Jingili said, my department has been working on this for at least a year now with public meetings, and consulting with residents particularly along the edge of the freshwater Rapid Creek area.

The draft LUOs, as the member referred to, are nearing completion. In fact, they are very near public release. What has intervened in that process is another new development, and that is the release of the draft Darwin Airport master plan, which has just recently been released. A number of issues that flow from that will now have to be assessed in light of that development, and how they might impact on the LUOs of the Rapid Creek area.

One of the things, obviously, that has to be assessed, is the work that’s been done already on the Q100 in the area of the Rapid Creek, and what the airport master plan development might do to affect that.

Unfortunately, there will be a short delay for a little while we put in our assessment to that master plan. I know that the member for Millner and the member for Jingili have been taking a keen interest also on that development of the airport area.

The LUOs are intricately linked because of the adjacent nature of that proposed development and the potential...

Members interjecting.

Mr SPEAKER: Order!

Mr BALDWIN: The potential impacts that flow from that proposed development are obviously to do with traffic management …

Mr Bailey interjecting.

Mr BALDWIN: Mr Speaker, if the member for Wanguri, who lives adjacent to this area also, is not interested could I ask …

Mr Bailey: I been waiting 10 years for some action, not just …

Mr SPEAKER: Order!

Mr BALDWIN: The potential impacts include traffic management, increased stormwater flows, impact on existing drainage and sewerage systems, protection of the Rapid Creek and Ludmilla environments and the type, scale, scope and location of any commercial development near the corner of McMillans and Bagot Road. My department has been charged with providing a whole-of-government response to the airport master plan and that is now being completed and has been lodged.

The government’s role now is to work with the Commonwealth government as the draft master plan proceeds through the administrative process in Canberra. Territorians can be assured that this government will ensure that we do have good processes of development. We encourage development, with a duty of care on the other hand, to make sure that all of the impacts are known and can be managed for the benefit of future Territorians.

As for the Rapid Creek LUO’s, as I said, those near finalisation and my department will be releasing those for public comment as soon as is practical. I thank the member for Jingili and the member for Millner for keeping their constituents, unlike the opposition member, informed of what these processes are.