Page 3202 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 18 November 1992
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MR CONNOLLY: I thank Mr Stevenson for his question. He did have the courtesy to give me notice about this. I am afraid that I would not necessarily have had the exact details of every bus timetable precisely at my fingertips. Under heavy opposition pressure, I make that concession. Madam Speaker, the ACTION bus network was substantially revised from July of this year. The new network was designed particularly to benefit the southern suburbs of Canberra, the rapidly growing area, and to provide generally a more efficient network. We do a substantial network review every two or three years. When we do that, we look at the additional needs for particular areas, and we look at services which are underutilised.
The Narrabundah-Griffith area, which is the area that is serviced by the 352 service, has an ageing population, and a clear need was identified for a service from that area direct to Woden Valley Hospital. At the same time, the extension of the 352 service, which used to take it from the old Dalrymple Street terminus through to the zoo, was seen to be extremely poorly patronised. That 352 service now goes on, when it gets to the top of Dalrymple Street, behind the Orthodox Church, to Woden Valley Hospital, instead of going to the zoo. That seemed a sensible use of resources to meet a particular community need, and to take off a service that was very poorly patronised. To have a turnaround to the zoo and back again would add something like seven minutes to that service, thus inconveniencing those members of the community who need the bus to go to the hospital.
While we do not now have a route service to the zoo, on the basis of a low level of patronage - I think it is reasonable for the Government to put patronage levels as a basis for providing services to areas that are not in the general metropolitan area; it is down the track there - Mr Stevenson's point that that privately run zoo is particularly popular for school groups and excursions is a point that is well made, and ACTION's special hire operation is the group that tends to provide special buses on charter for school groups wishing to visit the zoo. That is still available and it is still being utilised. The route service has been varied because of the very low patronage which used to take it to the zoo, and the perceived need for a new service for that community to go direct to the hospital.
MR STEVENSON: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. There are two points. Could the Minister indicate the cost of the hire of the buses to school groups? I believe that it would cost school groups somewhat more than using the normal bus service. Secondly, obviously enough, to know that patronage was down, there would have to be a collection of the numbers. Would the Minister be good enough to find that out and present it to the Assembly?
MR CONNOLLY: Yes, I can provide those more detailed figures in due course.
HIV and AIDS - Notification
MR LAMONT: My question is directed to the Deputy Chief Minister, in his capacity as Minister for Health. The Liberal Party have indicated that they will move for disallowance of the Government's new HIV notification regulations. What effect will this have in the ACT?
Mr Moore: None, because they will not win.
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