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Mr ROBERT OAKESHOTT: My question is directed to the Minister for Planning. Will the Minister provide a progress report on important planning projects in the Port Macquarie electorate, including the Combined Emergency Centre?
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for The Hills to order.
Mr FRANK SARTOR: Some weeks ago the mayor and general manager of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council saw me about the location of a combined emergency facility for ambulance and fire services in Port Macquarie, a matter the honourable member for Port Macquarie and the Hon. John Tingle had raised with me. My department received the rezoning request from Hastings council on 29 September, and I have asked it to expedite consideration of that request. The proposal would appear on its merits to be supportable. In return for rezoning to allow this special use, Hastings council is prepared to convert up to 13 hectares of land currently zoned open space to be zoned for environmental protection, which is a huge gain for environment. I hope we can process and deal with the matter by November.
In relation to other matters, I have had representations from the honourable member for Port Macquarie about a proposed aged care facility at Harrington. I have agreed to meet a delegation of Greater Taree City Council and the Roche group of companies to explore that matter further in the next couple of weeks, probably the next sitting week. The Port Macquarie electorate contains one of two World Heritage listings in New South Wales. The first World Heritage listing is the Blue Mountains, where the Government recently approved a new local environmental plan that will protect the towns and villages of the Blue Mountains in a way they have not been protected before. The second World Heritage listing is Lord Howe Island, which is in the electorate of Port Macquarie. I inform the House that I have approved a new regional plan for Lord Howe Island. The significance of Lord Howe Island was stated by David Attenborough, who said:
Lord Howe is so extraordinary it is almost unbelievable. Few islands can be so accessible, so remarkable, yet so unspoilt ...
I am pleased to report that there are also some other interesting synergies in relation to Lord Howe Island, which was named after Lord Richard Howe. Lord Richard Howe was one of the great British admirals of the Age of Fighting Sail. He commanded the Channel Fleet in the French Revolution and defeated the French in 1794 on the Glorious First of June. It was the defeat of the French Navy in the second Hundred Years War that led to the fall of the French republic—and the inevitable rise of Napoleon. I turn to the relevance of Lord Howe Island. Lord Richard Howe had a nickname that I do not dare mention in this House. However, as the ironies of history would have it, Lord Howe never reached Lord Howe Island. There is now a fish known as the Napoleon wrasse, which frequents the waters around Lord Howe.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is too much audible conversation in the Chamber.
Mr FRANK SARTOR: It is a humphead fish that has a head shaped like Napoleon's hat. It is one of more than 400 species of fish found in the waters around the island group. The island has a rare collection of flora, fauna and marine life, which led to its inclusion on the World Heritage List in 1982. It is one of just four island groups to earn World Heritage status. How do we preserve it? The Government has adopted a new regional environment plan. No development will be permitted that will result in any damage to or removal of significant native vegetation; 68 hectares have been rezoned for environmental protection to maintain the scenic values of the island; and, at the urging of the Minister for the Environment, the area known as Transit Hill has been added to the permanent park preserve, linking the island's parks from north to south.
We are also protecting the ecosystem by allowing only a modest increase in housing over the next 20 years. This is the first review of controls for Lord Howe Island in 20 years. We will allow an additional 25 homes during the next 20 years. I know that members opposite would like me to say more about this, so I will. I know the members on this side will be patient with me. The other irony is that only this year a new species of fish was found, the silver trevally fish. The discoverer is a year 9 student named James Robinson from Shore school. He is one of the short-listed 2005 young scientists. He is in the gallery today as part of Science Expo, which members opposite should look at.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for East Hills will come to order.
Mr FRANK SARTOR: I thank Lord the Howe Island community, the Lord Howe Island Board and the Department of Environment for assisting in achieving a wonderful result: the protection of Lord Howe Island.
Questions without notice concluded.