Page: 21546
Mr ANDREW STONER: My question is directed to the Minister for Planning. One for you, Frank!
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of The Nationals will address the Minister for Planning by his proper title.
Mr ANDREW STONER: I ask the Minster for Planning: Following community outrage over the proposed development of a major quarry in the residential suburb of Terranora in the Tweed, will the Minister now heed the concerns of the community and reject the proposal?
Mr FRANK SARTOR: I am surprised that the honourable member would want me to make proper assessment decisions about a planning matter in a political forum. I actually take the role of planning Minister very seriously, and, as always, I intend to look at this matter thoroughly. If the honourable member wants to make representations to me—
Mr Andrew Stoner: You never get an answer!
Mr FRANK SARTOR: Others on that side frequently make representations to me.
Mr Andrew Stoner: Point of order: Firstly the Minister is supposed to sit down while the point of order is being taken. On a point of relevance, the Minister said he is taking this matter seriously but he didn't even bother to visit the site last week and neither did the honourable member for Tweed.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. As I said before, this is question time, not explanation time.
Mr FRANK SARTOR: I assume the honourable member is referring to the Readymix Holdings Pty Ltd proposal to extend the Tweed quarry at Terranora, in the Tweed local government area. Yes, I am the approving authority for this application. The environmental assessment of the proposal is currently on exhibition and I encourage all parties to make a submission on the proposal before 4 April. If the honourable member wishes to make direct representations to me, I will be happy to hear them. I am aware of the significant opposition to this proposal, particularly the concerns about the potential traffic, noise and blasting impacts of the proposal. I can assure the House that I will examine those concerns very closely before I determine the application.