Page 2461 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 7 August 1990
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I think I have mentioned on a number of occasions that perhaps the only way Canberrans will be able to survive the financial imposts of the Federal Government abrogating its responsibilities of looking after the nation's capital is through the small business sector. We need to assist it, but most of the assistance would be to get off its back. However, there is one very real way in which we can assist it. The Chief Minister mentioned self-regulation. As a general principle I agree entirely with self-regulation of industries. What we have here is an industry, if you like, in which the tenants cannot really regulate themselves. They have a battle with the landlords, and they are highly disadvantaged in any communication with them. The talk in relation to this self-regulation has been going on for many months. But what has happened? Where are the meetings? Where are the sit-down talks together, with useful results? They are just not happening.
Mr Jensen: Oh, Dennis, goodness me.
MR STEVENSON: How many meetings, Norm? Tell me.
Mr Jensen: A letter will be read out in a minute.
MR STEVENSON: That is fine if you have some information. I am going on what I was told. These people do not have a say in the Assembly. If they give us some information I am prepared to present it on their behalf. They said that there have not been the meetings that would have to be held to get some decent benefit from what was happening.
They need legislation. What we are told by the Alliance sounds reasonable, and I do not disagree with self-regulation, but you have already agreed that it needs to be backed up by legislation. So what we are saying really is that without legislation this will not work. The Labor Party, the tenants, the Alliance and I agree with that. We are looking for legislation urgently, but it has not come urgently in many months. That is the problem.
Mr Jensen: You'll get your letter tomorrow.
MR STEVENSON: That is excellent. I will convey it to the people who are most concerned, the representatives of CARTA.
As I said, I look forward to receiving a letter tomorrow and to legislation which resolves the problem being introduced into the house. But until that is done, CARTA will have problems. I have spoken to people within the malls, and they certainly have problems. We all agree that there is a problem, but let us give it some urgency and get the debate going on fair trading legislation or specific legislation - some legislation. We no longer want talk; we want some action.
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