Corbell call in powers ago-go

Well it looks like the new holiday resort correctional facility for Canberra’s ‘naughty folk’ will be built at the Hume site.

The interesting thing is that Mr Corbell chose to ruffle a few of his feather boas and have a crack at the Federal member Gary Nairn (who doesn’t appear to be alone in criticising the locality of the prison as Franky Pangello and Steve Whan (ALP State member) don’t like the idea of a prison next door either). No consistency apparent in Mr Corbell’s tantrum, but naturally he’s not concerned about those who do not vote in the ACT:

Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Gary Nairn should look at his own backyard instead of trying to score cheap political shots at the ACT Government over the prison site at Hume, ACT Planning Minister Simon Corbell said today.

“If the Hume site is such a bad location, according to Mr Nairn, why then is the site allowed by his own Government, through the National Capital Authority, as a suitable site for a prison under the National Capital Plan?” he said.

“If Mr Nairn is so outraged over the site for the jail why didn’t he take it up with the agency that his Government has responsibility for?

“On January 9, 2006 the NCA advised the ACT Government that the prison is consistent with the approved development control plan for the area subject to certain conditions. These conditions have been met.

“The Federal Government is responsible for the National Capital Plan and the prison must meet the requirements of a development control plan put in place by the NCA for this site because it is on a major approach route to the city.

“The ACT Government has met these requirements and this has been confirmed by the NCA.”

In addition, Mr Nairn’s so-called concerns about traffic lights on the Monaro Highway are also hollow, given that works approval for these traffic lights was given by the NCA itself, as this is land the agency has direct planning control over.

“Mr Nairn’s failure to raise these issues with the NCA beforehand demonstrates his shallow political posturing and hypocrisy on this issue,” Mr Corbell said.

With all the posturing going on after reading comments in yesterday’s Canberra Pravda I just couldn’t understand where Mr Corbell is receiving his advice from – he topped things off with the following advice to his Liberal and ALP brethren over the border to the effect that, “since announcements of the Hume jail site, house prices in Jerrabomberra had risen…I challenge anyone who has a concern to go and see whether they will be able to see the prison from where they live”.

If I were living at Jerrabomberra I’m sure if my vista included sweeping views of the ‘new resort’, I’d take great comfort in Mr Corbell’s advice that house prices in Jerrabomberra will continue to rise…amazing analysis!