Mr SOMLYAY (Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government) (5:45 PM) —in reply—I thank the honourable members for Canberra (Mr McMullan), Namadgi (Ms Ellis) and Fraser (Mr Dargavel), my colleague the member for Indi (Mr Lieberman) and the member for Calare (Mr Andren) for their contributions to this debate, but the simple fact that members on the other side have ignored is that this legislation does not change one lease in the ACT. This is merely enabling legislation to give power to the duly democratically elected Legislative Assembly of the ACT so they can have a say in the destiny of their land tenure system. We are giving the ACT Assembly the power to increase lease tenure from 99 years to 999 years. The simple fact also is that, if the members for Canberra, Namadgi and Fraser—who I presume are leaseholders in the ACT—want to avoid 999-year leases, then they do not have to apply. This legislation will not force anyone to change their lease. To have a lease change under these proposals, one needs to apply. So it is matter of choice.

This was a clear election policy of the government before the last election. I introduced this legislation into the House late last year so it could be on the table in time for the ACT Legislative Assembly election, and I am very pleased that Kate Carnell and the Liberal government of the day did so well in that election. The federal shadow minister for territories is Senator Faulkner, who is in another place. The Leader of the Opposition in the ACT Legislative Assembly, Mr Berry, opposed this legislation before the Assembly election, but the Labor Party in Canberra did very badly in that election. A member of Senator Faulkner's staff rang my office and asked whether we would put off this legislation to a later date as the Labor Party did not have a policy because the election and the composition of the Assembly had not been determined and the ACT Leader of the Opposition had not been elected. We have a policy. We took it to the people. I introduced this bill back in December, and the people voted on it. I commend this bill to the House.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.