Page 2797 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 14 August 1990
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As I indicated, the Government appreciates that we do need a community wide response to the environment, and that through community education, awareness and anticipation, we can develop innovative responses to the problem. As Education Minister, I appreciate that community awareness often flows out of the schools, and that we need to ensure that environmental education enables students to address environmental problems.
Within our schools community we distributed, some months ago now, a draft policy on environmental education for community consultation. Our strategy also proposes the development of an environmental curriculum statement to assist schools in implementing environmental education programs, including those dealing with the greenhouse effect.
To conclude, I commend the Chief Minister's statement to the Assembly, and I urge the ACT community to get behind the initiatives it outlines and to respond positively to the consultation process. I think we do need to develop, in the long term, a lifestyle which is environmentally sustainable, and I hope we can achieve that in such a way that we do not need to lose some of the quality of life which is obviously so important to us. If we tackle the waste - the unnecessary contribution we make to the greenhouse effect - I am sure that we can avoid having to go too far down the path of threatening our standard of living.
MR KAINE (Chief Minister) (8.23), in reply: Mr Acting Speaker, I assume that nobody else wants to speak on this important subject, so I will close the debate. Mr Acting Speaker, you and members will - - -
Mr Berry: Just about everybody has, I think.
MR KAINE: You have demonstrated your interest in the greenhouse effect, Mr Berry.
Mr Berry: We are not trying to make up time.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Jensen): Order, Mr Berry!
MR KAINE: On 26 April this year I advised the Assembly of the release of the Government's discussion paper called Developing an ACT Strategy To Respond To The Greenhouse Effect. The ACT became one of the first of the States and territories in Australia, and one of the few governments in the world, to take positive steps to plan for and deal with the effects of climate change. (Quorum formed)
As I was saying, the ACT became one of the few states or territories in Australia, and one of even fewer governments in the world, to take positive steps to plan for and deal with the effects of climate change and global warming. It is noteworthy that only last week, on 8 August, the
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