Page 5802 - Week 18 - Tuesday, 10 December 1991
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It is worth remembering that the leverage that we tried to exercise in those negotiations last year and this year is still, in a sense, in much the same position. I note, as an example of this point, that it is possible for the authority to exempt a supplier from supplying the higher grade petroleum. In other words, it is possible, by the obtaining of an exemption, for someone to supply this 0.84 grams per litre petrol in the ACT.
It is worth remembering that there is another circumstance that we could find ourselves in if a supplier is unable to meet the requirements set out in proposed new section 42BB, and that is that the supplier could simply decline to supply petrol to the ACT. It has happened in the past and it may happen again in the future. We are not exactly an extremely important market as far as those companies are concerned. I welcome the step here towards sustaining that trend, to capping off this process and ensuring that we cannot double back on it; but bear in mind that we are not entirely able to simply wave a magic legislative wand and solve the problems in this area.
We do face problems of distance and supply, and the ACT has to be sure, above all else, that we can supply the needs of our community, particularly as far as the business of our community is concerned. We need to be sure, before we legislate to outlaw things that we do not like, that we in fact have the capacity to do so without threatening the viability of businesses and the livelihood of people in the ACT.
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (5.02), in reply: Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank members for their comments. It is certainly the case that this small but important piece of legislation has the general support of the Assembly, and I acknowledge its genesis.
Mr Collaery raised the matter of the Manuka car park. Let me respond seriously to that. If you want to reduce lead levels in busy city streets, one way to do it, and perhaps the most effective way, is to stop the situation where cars are endlessly driving around, as they do at Manuka, or spending long periods idling and waiting for something to happen. That is exactly what happens at Manuka. If there is a car park provided there, as Mr Jensen indicated, if people can rapidly get off the street and get the car motor switched off, that will have an immense beneficial effect on lead levels. That is one of the systems designed to improve that area at the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Barry Drive which has had not the best record in the past. One measure to alleviate that is simply to keep the traffic moving by using improved systems.
Mrs Nolan raised the question of penalties and the varied amounts of penalties. She may recall that last year, or earlier this year perhaps, Mr Connolly raised the question of penalty units so that across all our legislation
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