Police talk to a protester preventing test drilling at the Ainslie site in February. Photos: Marieanne Albury-Colless.
The ACT Greens bid to overturn the approval of a phone tower on a pocket of land in Ainslie has been thwarted in the Legislative Assembly.
The Canberra Liberals joined with Labor to vote down proposed legislation that would have revoked the approval and protected the land on the corner of Limestone Avenue and Quick Street known as Ainslie Volcanics, where a community group is restoring critically endangered grassland.
But not without planning spokesperson Peter Cain criticising the project’s consultation process and the government’s approach generally to consultation, as well as the way the Territory Planning Authority assessed the development application.
Mr Cain said the Liberals supported the improved phone services the tower would bring the area and agreed with Planning Minister Chris Steel that the Greens bill would set a dangerous precedent and undermine the integrity of the planning system.
“Unfortunately, this bill does send a message to stakeholders, including investors, ACT developers, residents and businesses, that the planning approvals in the ACT may not mean anything if the Assembly through a private bill, can overturn it,” he said.
Mr Steel told the Assembly the bill undermined the independence of the Territory Planning Authority and the independence of the Conservator of Flora and Fauna, which advised it on the ecological values of the site.
“Today’s bill asks us to ignore that advice, to ignore the existing law and to substitute our own political views in its place,” he said. “To take that step would undermine confidence in the entire planning framework.”
Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury said the Labor-Liberal alliance showed a callous disregard for environmental protection.
“What we have seen in this vote is that the major parties are more concerned about ‘the independent planning system’ than getting the right outcome,” he said.
“The reason we moved this legislation is because the planning system got it wrong on this one, and as the elected representatives of this community, we need to have the courage to step in on behalf of the community to fix that.
“This bill provided a practical and transparent solution to a poor outcome.”
Mr Rattenbury said the tower developer Indara, on behalf of Optus and Vodaphone, could still choose an alternative viable site nearby. However, Indara has said it is unsuitable.
“There are viable alternative sites nearby for this tower and it is now upon telco giants like Optus and Vodafone to show the courage the Assembly has not been able to muster, and to alter their plans,” he said.
Mr Rattenbury questioned the value of Labor’s word, saying five months ago it had promised to protect the site.
