Page 3863 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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The record shows that we have already made significant progress towards meeting this challenge. On World Environment Day we not only released the most comprehensive environment strategy that the ACT has ever seen but also announced significant extensions to the ACT's national parks and reserves system. The Government sees these extensions as a very major environmental initiative. The scale of these extensions - an additional 22,000 hectares, Mr Speaker - is unprecedented. The expanded park and reserves will provide an important resource for the community and for future generations. It will also ensure that the ACT will retain the special qualities in our natural environment which make Canberra unique.
The Namadgi Visitors Centre, which I also opened on World Environment Day, is an example of the way in which the ACT's high quality management of our natural heritage contributes to the Territory's overall environment and provides for both community recreation and environmental information and education. The information contained in the document "Caring for our Environment" will also help in the important task of educating the community and encouraging lifestyle changes which will enable us to conserve our environmental quality.
As the Government has already announced, we are committed to a range of legislation to support and improve the quality of the local environment. Our integrated planning, heritage, lease administration and environment legislation will provide the underpinning for major development decisions in the Territory. Introduction of this integrated package will ensure proper consideration of all relevant environmental issues in the preparation of the Territory Plan and, where necessary, in individual leasing and development decisions.
The Government is also committed to developing legislation to protect animal welfare in the ACT. As Mr Jensen has commented, the report of the animal welfare review, which was undertaken over a period, has been received; Cabinet has endorsed it, and I will be presenting that report to this Assembly next week. It is a comprehensive and far-ranging report which has been long awaited.
Mr Speaker, in according environmental issues the high priority that they deserve, we have had to be aware of the financial constraints that we all face. In releasing the Government's response to the waste management report from the Assembly's Standing Committee on Conservation, Heritage and Environment on 9 August, I announced a comprehensive approach to waste management issues. The Government's response includes greater promotion of recycling, better community information and sensible use of private sector alternatives to government expenditure in areas where the private sector has the potential to provide good services to the community.
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