MAJOR PROJECTS

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:23): As a supplementary question: do I take it from the minister's answer that it is not part of the established processes in declaring a major project that the local council be consulted and that it is not the government's intention to establish such a process?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:23): I get lots of approaches for declaring things major projects, and—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Do members opposite really want to hear? They ask these questions and immediately, as soon as they have asked the questions, they do not want to know the answer. What is the purpose of question time in this place if members opposite ask questions and do not bother to hear the answer? In relation to consultation with councils, clearly, if one was going to consult with councils in every case, for example, in relation to the Olympic Dam expansion or in relation to—

The Hon. S.G. Wade: There is no council there.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: There is, actually. As a matter of fact, as Minister for Mineral Resources Development I appoint it.

The Hon. S.G. Wade: At Roxby Downs? I don't think there's one there, is there?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: It is the Roxby Downs council, and it is affiliated with the Local Government Association. It does not have an elected council, but the administrator is appointed by the Minister for Mineral Resources Development. That is another issue. For something of that scale that covers not only one council but a whole range of councils, the environmental impact statement also covers the Northern Territory, and that is why there will be public meetings in Alice Springs and Darwin in relation to that, as members will see when it is released tomorrow. There are issues of transport that relate to the Northern Territory. Some of these projects go outside that scale.

I do get approaches, but in many cases they will be rejected or I will refer the proponents back to local government in the first instance to see whether it can comply. If a proposal is of major economic, social or environmental significance to the state, and deserves to be considered, if it clearly will not be approved under the relevant development plan, because it may be out of date or totally incompatible, what is the purpose of letting councils know in the first instance? They are involved in the process, have the opportunity to comment, are invited to comment and invariably do comment in relation to the public consultation period. There is that involvement from local government when major projects are being considered.

In the first instance, in relation to declaration, in most cases that have been before me I have either spoken to the council myself to determine its position on it or have encouraged proponents to speak to council in the first instance and let it know. There is no formal requirement (neither do I believe there should be) other than that consultation with local government take place during the assessment process. Why add another bureaucratic step into a process that contributes nothing? There will be consultation if something is declared a major project with local government as part of the process, but why add in another stage when in many cases it is irrelevant? If it is deemed to be relevant, I either encourage the proponent to speak to local council or I would do it myself, as I have done in a number of cases.