The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: I seek leave to make an explanation before asking the Minister for Transport and Urban Planning a question about public open space.
 Leave granted.
 The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: The State Government has been under fire from local communities on a number of occasions in relation to the sell off of local urban open space. The Guardian Messenger newspaper published a series of articles in September about the threat to our public open spaces from million dollar price tags which have been placed on former school land by the State Government. Suburban councils say they cannot afford the high prices being asked by the Government for the surplus land to be maintained as ovals, parks and reserves. The $1.3 million set aside by the State Government to help 31 councils buy land for open space is farcical when you look at the price tags on land such as the $3.5 million Mawson High School oval site. I understand that Holdfast Bay council has been forced to sell off other blocks of land to buy the Mawson High site. My questions to the Minister are:
 1. Does the State Government have an honest commit-ment to retention of urban open space?
 2. If so, what will the Government do to ensure its surplus open space is sufficiently affordable for local councils (many argue that they should not have to buy local space that already exists)?
 3. Will councils continue to be forced to sell other land to buy these open space plots?
  The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: If the council wants to buy the land, it will make a decision in its interests; it will not be a matter of a council being forced to sell land. They may wish to pay for it some other way. It is the council's decision and it is not for me to interfere. However, from time to time the State Government does make a contribution to applica-tions from councils for open space and the $1.5 millionóit is a little more than that this yearóthat the Government contributes for this purpose actually comes from levies on development. I have recently announced and can provide to the honourable member or tableó
 The Hon. M.J. Elliott interjecting:
 The PRESIDENT: Order!
 The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: Not while I was Minister. Is that the accusation?
 The Hon. M.J. Elliott: I didn't say that.
 The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: No, I do not think you should. That has not been the case while I have been Minis-ter.
 The Hon. L.H. Davis interjecting:
 The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: Yes, he does tend to have a long memory but, notwithstanding changes of practice, he does not give credit where there is a change of practice with a change of Minister. It is not an issue with me. We have changed practices in the department. I have issued the list of eligible or successful applications and I will provide the honourable member with that list. I highlight that the Government has just been involved with the Federal Govern-ment, in terms of open space, with a major initiative in terms of Glenthorne in the southern area. Of course, the honourable member has not chosen to refer to that successful initiative by the Government and the Federal Government.
 Also, I have released for public discussion the PAR in relation to Chandlers Hill and that certainly makes provision for eight hectares of open space, native vegetation in that area. I would not necessarily expect that to be applauded by the honourable member either, but that is a fact. As part of the Government's regeneration initiatives there will be a green paper on the subject, a commitment to open space, and I look forward to outlining those initiatives in the next few months.
 The Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT: I desire to ask a supplemen-tary question. In light of the Minister's comment about a green paper, would she consider a moratorium on further sales of open space until that paper is discussed?
 The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: I did not say there was a green paper on open space: I said it was on urban regenera-tion. There will be initiatives in relation to open space.

Read the Government's reply:  24 November 1998

 
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