Page 2191 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 31 October 1989
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Environmental Impact Assessments
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Chief Minister. I refer to earlier questions addressed to you regarding the National Aquarium site, including the still to be answered question as to whether you regard your Government or the Federal Government as responsible for any environmental concerns arising from the project - and I emphasise "any". I also refer to the special treatment and sewerage works proposed for the Revlon site. That company has also been given a lease without an environmental impact survey or assessment. Does your Government intend to adopt any environmental assessment procedures for significant developments? Have you ever seen an environmental impact assessment statement affecting any aspect of the ACT? If so, to what development did that relate?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Collaery for that multi-part question. If I could respond first of all to the issue of the National Aquarium project, I have no doubt that Mr Collaery saw the report on WIN television news last Friday night - - -
Mr Collaery: I didn't.
MS FOLLETT: There was a report on WIN television news last Friday night, in which it was claimed that the Federal Minister responsible for the environment, Senator Richardson, had discussed this matter with me. He was quoted as saying that the ACT Government did not want an EIS on that project. Mr Speaker, both of those statements are absolutely incorrect. Senator Richardson discussed the National Aquarium project with me only last evening - Monday evening - although I had been trying to contact him on the matter for several days.
Mr Speaker, I think that the first thing to be borne in mind with regard to the National Aquarium project is that this Assembly has had its own reference before its own committee on this matter. The committee chaired by Mr Humphries will, I believe, be reporting to the Assembly very shortly. So I believe the first thing for the Assembly and the Government to do is to get the report from Mr Humphries' committee and to consider it very carefully.
Overall the Government is very concerned about the environment; it is very concerned to protect the ACT environment. With the National Aquarium, because of the river system in this part of Australia which is adjacent to the National Aquarium project, there may be wider issues. But, as I said, Mr Speaker, we must first consider the report of our Assembly committee on the National Aquarium.
Mr Collaery has asked me some more detailed questions about the proposed Revlon project, particularly concerning the possibility of an environmental impact statement in relation to that project. Could I have that part of the question repeated?
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