Page 3111 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 10 September 1991
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Be that as it may, I cannot agree with a philosophical approach that Mr Jensen sounding off now in favour of a specific provision in the uniform code is inappropriate in any way. As the code is being developed, it is a quite appropriate time, in my view, for Mr Jensen to pursue the Victorian model, which I believe he is pursuing in relation to the single issue he mentioned tonight. I think it is an entirely appropriate time for Mr Jensen to agitate for the inclusion of that issue in the code.
It is regrettable that Mr Connolly does not want to take the ball and run with it, and press that issue at the relevant fora he may attend, as Minister. I also attended relevant fora. One of those was a meeting of housing and planning Ministers, which I attended on behalf of the Chief Minister. There, luminaries such as Simon Crean made clear that the achievement of uniform codes and goals in the building industry and reductions in costs and delays related to wider issues than simply book codes. They related to award restructuring; to scientific and technological research and development processes for modular design of kitchen and bathroom capsules and so on, that members should be aware of. It is not as simple as an harmonious agreement at a State, Territory and Federal Attorneys-General meeting.
I believe that Mr Jensen's push for this insulation standard, which is now endorsed to a considerable extent by the local Housing Industry Association and noted by the Master Builders Association, could be a useful endeavour where this Territory - small though it is, as Mr Connolly acknowledges - could lead the way. Again, we see this Territory under the Follett Government adopting a view that it is small in the Labor world, therefore it toes the line generally. That was not the view the Alliance Government took. We used to press issues at national fora and get extra concessions. I well recall in Perth Mr Duby getting an extra million or so for this Territory, over and above the States, by hard bargaining and pressure. That is what should be done.
The meek and compliant manner in which the Chief Minister signed the Premiers communique that endorsed resource development, which was so bitterly criticised on the Four Corners program last night in terms of environmental protection and endangered species, will come back to haunt the Chief Minister. We have heard also that she has stuck by the idea that we will not endorse the federalism inherent in relation to welfare grants and the rest. That does not tie up with the Chief Minister's signature to the communique, as we are now finding out.
I take issue with Mr Connolly saying that this is part of the great new whiz-bang move to new federalism. It could become a very weak and cavalier acceptance of a temporised standard, because the lowest common denominator is what the stronger States can caucus on and get. In this country that often means the Labor States, with their innate
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