Page 3498 - Week 12 - Thursday, 19 September 1991
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Mr Moore commented on the recommendation that relates to the need for a high profile publicity campaign. Over the years everyone in Canberra has seen the move towards recycling that has been developed within the ACT by successive governments in a campaign to encourage greater reuse of material. Properly conducted, those types of publicity campaigns are very important. I would also encourage the Government to make sure that in any campaigns of this nature it makes full use of local expertise, local printing firms, and our local media to prepare reports, rather than go outside the ACT.
I was also pleased to see the recommendation about the need to expand the powers of the Pollution Control Authority to embrace this particular area. We know that they are very strapped for staff and facilities to assist in their role in relation to urban pollution, but I think it important that they be allowed to continue with this aspect of pollution as well and expand their role. It is, after all, a very important organisation within the ACT.
I would like to see the Pollution Control Authority given more power in relation to the implementation of pollution and environmental control measures. Having just one person as the Pollution Control Authority per se, I think, is not enough. We need a properly established statutory organisation like the pollution control authorities established in other States to take up that role. That is something that future governments will have to look at. I believe that the current Residents Rally policy in that area will be continued and that the Rally, in government, will be seeking to establish such an organisation.
Mr Acting Speaker, there have been improvements over the years in the installation of fuelwood heaters in our area, and also the standards that are set for the specifications. I understand that the Environment Ministers have a working party looking at this specific issue and are awaiting some recommendations. I think that that is also a very important and critical matter. Once the standard is sorted out and adopted, we have to come to grips with how we then propose to replace existing fuelwood heaters that do not meet the standard. I guess that the committee will make some recommendations in relation to this, particularly on the need to develop means by which we can establish loans and grants for the replacement of heaters which do not meet emission standards.
Some people may ask why governments should be doing this. I think we also have to look at the cost associated with the health and welfare of the community through failing to take this sort of action. If we do not do something on one side we will end up with a greater bill on the other, and I think it is important for governments of all persuasions to look at that issue when they are making these decisions. It is almost a case of conducting a cost-benefit analysis.
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