Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1996-02-29
Will the minister give me his word that he will ensure that, when the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment subdivides or causes to be subdivided through a developer the area near the Howard Springs Reserve, currently on forestry land, everything will be done in a proper way, all above board and open to public scrutiny, fitting in with the block size in the adjacent areas in order not to affect the amenity of the people of Howard Springs?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it can be done no other way, as I illustrated yesterday when correcting some of the misrepresentations that the member for Fannie Bay made to Territorians as to how the planning process works. I think her words were that we tried to `sneak it through', notwithstanding that we had advertised 5 times, in the Litchfield Times and the NT News, what the intention was in relation to a particular subdivision to which she was referring.
Indeed, I recall I gave an assurance to the member for Nelson in the November 1995 sittings in relation to proposed changes to the Howard Springs Forestry Reserve. The commitment was that we would put in place a public consultative process that would give careful and open consideration to the type of subdivision that will occur on that land. Importantly - and this is a matter on which I have received some correspondence from
Page 1255
residents in the area - that will apply also to the future of the pine trees themselves. People are not suggesting that all the pines need to be protected, but that the resources be used to provide the best commercial outcome for Territorians when the time comes to clear the land. The pines do not need to be fully cleared and some of the trees should be retained for screening and landscaping purposes.
I am able to give the member for Nelson an assurance that we will be looking very carefully at subdivision options for that land. Certainly, we will be taking into account the interests and concerns of adjoining landholders when making that land available - and it is a substantial area of land - for rural residential development. I must say that a great deal of interest has been expressed in the land. The demand for and interest in rural residential land and the activities that people are pursuing on that land are very strong. That was alluded to in the adjournment debate last night. The government is seeking to meet the increasing demand for rural residential development. We will do that in a most practical and well-managed way, and we will include the people in affected areas in the consultative process.
Page 1256
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it can be done no other way, as I illustrated yesterday when correcting some of the misrepresentations that the member for Fannie Bay made to Territorians as to how the planning process works. I think her words were that we tried to `sneak it through', notwithstanding that we had advertised 5 times, in the Litchfield Times and the NT News, what the intention was in relation to a particular subdivision to which she was referring.
Indeed, I recall I gave an assurance to the member for Nelson in the November 1995 sittings in relation to proposed changes to the Howard Springs Forestry Reserve. The commitment was that we would put in place a public consultative process that would give careful and open consideration to the type of subdivision that will occur on that land. Importantly - and this is a matter on which I have received some correspondence from
Page 1255
residents in the area - that will apply also to the future of the pine trees themselves. People are not suggesting that all the pines need to be protected, but that the resources be used to provide the best commercial outcome for Territorians when the time comes to clear the land. The pines do not need to be fully cleared and some of the trees should be retained for screening and landscaping purposes.
I am able to give the member for Nelson an assurance that we will be looking very carefully at subdivision options for that land. Certainly, we will be taking into account the interests and concerns of adjoining landholders when making that land available - and it is a substantial area of land - for rural residential development. I must say that a great deal of interest has been expressed in the land. The demand for and interest in rural residential land and the activities that people are pursuing on that land are very strong. That was alluded to in the adjournment debate last night. The government is seeking to meet the increasing demand for rural residential development. We will do that in a most practical and well-managed way, and we will include the people in affected areas in the consultative process.
Page 1256
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016