Page 2716 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 21 November 1989
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technical equipment, plus possible roof-rack, categorised as commercial vehicles instead of recreational vehicles?
The answer is as follows: Telecom vehicles have never been categorised as recreational vehicles. Telecom is currently changing its vehicle fleet from vans, which are basically goods carrying vehicles, to station wagons, which are passenger carrying vehicles unless modified and approved by the Motor Vehicle Registry to goods vehicle standards.
From discussions with officers of my department over an extended period, Telecom was aware of the legislative requirements prior to its decision to change types of vehicles. Telecom has written to me asking that the current legislation be changed to accommodate its business decision to use station wagons rather than vans to enable it to use loading zones without the vehicles being required to be authorised as goods vehicles.
I have replied, indicating that Telecom should not experience any difficulties under the current provisions as station wagons can be authorised to use loading zones provided it pays the appropriate fee.
The cost of renewing registration for a station wagon used in the ACT, including third party insurance inspection, is $297 a year. If it is needed to use loading zones an extra fee of $200 is applicable. A 15-minute limit on loading zones is applied to authorised station wagons. The total is $497. The cost of registering the same vehicle as a commercial goods vehicle is $372. This compares favourably with New South Wales where the cost of registering a station wagon for commercial purposes is between $614 and $714, depending on the weight of the vehicle. This allows them to use loading zones for no longer than 15 minutes.
I did not realise, Mr Speaker, that we could get a lot more money out of the Commonwealth. We could probably put that up. Unfortunately, it would affect everybody else in Canberra.
Asbestos Removal
MRS GRASSBY: On 16 November Ms Maher asked the following question about the asbestos removal program:
Could the Minister advise as to the number of trial houses and could I receive a break-up of their individual costs?
The answer is as follows: trials of removal procedures have been carried out at two houses. The total cost for the first house was $42,700. This was made up of equipment and materials, $9,000; site establishment and restoration, $5,500; labour and supervision, $26,600; and insurance,
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