Page 3835 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
There is no mention either in the Government's response or in the Minister's speech of the closure of the Ainslie Transfer Station. This act of environmental lunacy, which caused such community outrage, is simply ignored by the Minister and the Government. The fact that the decision was made while the committee was still considering an appropriate waste management strategy for the ACT was a slap in the face for all the members of the committee. We are all aware of the difficult position that Dr Kinloch was put in as a result of this decision. Dr Kinloch at least recognised the community outrage in north Canberra over this stupid decision, and perhaps Dr Kinloch should be given the job of advising his less sensitive colleagues about the stupidity of the decisions this Government is making every day.
In summing up, let me say in general that there are many areas where the Labor Party agrees in principle with the Government's response to the report. However, in many of the areas where the Government has given an undertaking to do something or carry something out, we will not know until some time has elapsed whether there is any substance to the Government's words. I am prepared to give the Government a short time to put its actions into words; but, on its past performance, I am sure we will all be disappointed.
MR JENSEN (3.17): I rise this afternoon to support the comments made by my colleague Mr Duby in relation to the Government's response on this very important issue. This is in fact an excellent and very detailed report. I trust that the report that the same committee will bring down on energy will be just as comprehensive, and I am sure that it will be considered with every due care and responsibility on the part of the ACT Alliance Government when it is presented for consideration by members of the Assembly.
Clearly the committee has done an excellent job. It has summarised the issues very well and provided a very important reference for the operation of recycling and other waste management procedures within the ACT. Certainly a number of people have indicated to me that they feel it is a very important document. It is important also to show that the Government has accepted a very large proportion - almost all of them - of the items in that particular report. (Quorum formed)
I would like to make a couple of brief comments in response to a couple of matters raised by Mrs Grassby. I notice her reference to the issue of biodegradable shopping bags and why the ACT may not necessarily go out and do it immediately. It is quite clear that the ACT is in fact an island within New South Wales and, as the Australian Environmental Council has indicated, it is appropriate to seek to address these problems on an Australia-wide basis.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .