ST CLAIR LAND SWAP

The Hon. M. PARNELL (14:43): I have a supplementary question arising out of the minister's original answer. Given the minister's response that it made sense to consider the Cheltenham and Actil sites together, why did the minister specifically reject calls from the Environment, Resources and Development Committee to do exactly that, and do a single development plan amendment for both sites?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:43): As I said, the matter had evolved. It was a matter of which land was available. What we have now is a master plan for the whole site.

In the early stages there were two different ownerships. It has been an evolution, and we have had to deal with what was available at the time. If you could turn back the clock, and if you knew that all the land would be available at the one time then, yes, you would have master-planned the entire area, as has now been done. However, that was not the way the history of this evolved, and that is the way the planning decisions worked. Obviously, you can only deal with whatever land is available at a particular time. As it turned out, I understand that the Stockland land was actually available before the Cheltenham site.

Even though the decision was made for the SAJC to sell some time earlier, it was my understanding—and I would have to check the history and the dates—that when it was owned by Stockland, which had sought approval for the redevelopment or the rezoning of that land, it was significantly in advance, if I recall, of all the issues in relation to Cheltenham being resolved. It was always intended that there should be some compatibility in respect of that. The council had a different view in those days. Fortunately, I believe all the parties have now come together—

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: Except the residents!

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: That remains to be seen. You are presuming what the residents will do. Half of them came from Burnside and there were a couple of ex-Liberal members amongst the crowd making politics out of it. That remains to be seen and, when the public is fully informed about all the issues, they will have their say.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: I think they will have their say. If they are properly informed about all of the benefits of this project I think most people will warmly support it. This will be one of the best things that has happened in the western suburbs for many years (if this project, as it is envisaged, gets up) because it will have huge benefits for those people. Ultimately, people will have their say.