Page 2798 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 14 August 1990
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Commonwealth itself floated its discussion paper entitled Towards a National Greenhouse Strategy for Australia.
It is rather interesting that its title is not too different from ours. Clearly it was a discussion paper, just as ours was, to encourage people to get into the debate. I hope ACT residents will comment on the Commonwealth's paper, just as they have done on ours, because that contribution has been very significant and very important.
Our proposed strategy was released to begin a community consultation process which has now been completed, and a substantial number of submissions have been received on various aspects of the proposed strategy. There has also been some significant debate in this Assembly on this strategy but, incredibly, only from the Government. (Quorum formed)
I am starting to feel like a jack-in-the-box, but I will persist because I think it is an important subject. I was saying that there has been some significant debate in this Assembly on our strategy - but, incredibly, only from the Government. The Opposition, of which no Labor member is currently present - at least Mr Stevenson is here - has got so little interest in this potentially catastrophic phenomenon for the world's population that its members do not even bother to be here for the debate.
This is quite characteristic of the Opposition's approach to subjects like this. They obviously do not believe there is a vote in it or they would be sitting here right now. We see plenty of them when they think there is a vote around. But when there is an important subject that they think is not voteworthy we do not see anything of them.
There has been a high degree of consensus on the importance of the issue, and the need for sensible and affordable actions by all levels of government, and by the community. The Government is greatly encouraged at the Canberra community's evident concern and desire to participate in the development of the greenhouse strategy. It is clear that, like the Government, the community is well aware of the importance of this issue to the Australian Capital Territory, to the world and to future generations.
There was some initial confusion as to the Government's intention regarding wood burning stoves. This was reflected in some of the community responses, but those fears have now been put to rest and I confirm that the Government has no intention of banning wood burning stoves. What we are talking about is controlling the emissions of harmful gases from appliances like wood burning stoves in the future, not banning them altogether.
Well, welcome, Mr Connolly; somebody from the Opposition with a conscience.
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