Page 1749 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 17 October 1989
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Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the Chief Minister for calling upon the Commonwealth to release land at the Belconnen naval station, the Bonshaw site and the Gungahlin CSIRO land holdings. However, I trust that this matter has not been left to the Commonwealth Government alone to consider at its leisure but is being vigorously pursued by the Government as a matter of extreme importance as it will have a major impact on future planning decisions for the ACT. Members will no doubt remember the environmental issues raised at the time by my colleague Mr Collaery. I am sure we have not heard the last of those matters.
One other aspect in relation to this, which was briefly touched upon in the Chief Minister's statement, was increasing aircraft noise in our growing city. It is one which, I suggest, despite some problems at the moment with the pilots strike, we will have to watch increasingly in the future. I understand that there may be some potential problems for the development of Gungahlin, as southbound aircraft have a turning circle over that area. I understand that this matter was looked at by a standing committee in that other place on the hill. I understand that there were some potential problems in that area which the NCDC at the time looked at very briefly and discarded as not being major. I do not think there is any major reference to it in the statements, particularly the environmental impact statement, in relation to the development of Gungahlin.
Mr Speaker, we have to give some thought to the long-term possibilities of an international airport for this region. I know my colleague Mrs Nolan has raised this matter in the past, and it is something that I think the people of the ACT would seek to encourage, provided, of course, that appropriate environmental aspects of this problem for our region are considered appropriately.
We have already mentioned - and the Residents Rally supports - the very fast train project, with the same sorts of caveats in mind in relation to the needs of the environment. I notice that the ACT Government will be participating in some joint projects in relation to that matter. There are a number of planning decisions and major environmental issues that have yet to be resolved before that project starts to operate effectively and efficiently. I do not think there is any need to indicate the implications of such a project on future tourism development; they are self-evident.
That leads me, Mr Speaker, to comment on tourism. I think it is appropriate at this stage to recognise the contribution of the industry, particularly the small and often family-run businesses that operate in this field, to the economy of the ACT. I am not wanting to downgrade the not insubstantial contribution by the major operators in this area, but they are generally more able to handle any downturn in the industry. Some of the smaller operators are not quite so fortunate. To this end, Mr Speaker, I
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