Page 3721 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 9 December 1992
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The national strategy on violence against women is a comprehensive and forward looking blueprint for action. The Council of Australian Governments noted the strategy and agreed that each jurisdiction will give it early and appropriate consideration. This is the second occasion on which the ACT has taken the lead on this issue at heads of government level. Our initiative on the portability of domestic violence orders has now received expression in the form of legislation in almost all jurisdictions, and I hope that this success is mirrored in the outcome of each government's consideration of the national strategy on violence against women.
As part of a general concern about the level of violence in Australia, the council considered the issue of violence on film, television and video. Members will be aware of the Prime Minister's proposal that the current wide and indiscriminate AO category for television be replaced with an M category and an MA category for the more violent films. It is pleasing to see that the television networks have undertaken to draw up a draft program code that adopts the system of classification used for film and video. Under these new arrangements the new M category will be recommended for those aged 15 and over, while the MA category will be restricted to those aged 15 and over, unless accompanied by an adult. In endorsing the new M classification and agreeing to amend censorship legislation by 1 May 1993, the council has again demonstrated that decisive action can be taken at the national level on violence in our society.
The environment is a further area in which national leadership has been shown by the council. On Monday it endorsed the national strategy for ecologically sustainable development and the national greenhouse response strategy. Both strategies have been the subject of intense cooperative effort between all jurisdictions and have benefited from extensive public consultation with all interests during their development. Agreement to the strategies reflects the integrated and comprehensive approach being taken across Australia in relation to the health of our environment, both now and in the future. The strategies also illustrate the clearer understanding that now exists on the interaction between the environment and all facets of human activity, including our economic development.
Having reached this important milestone in the development of national environmental policies, the council agreed to turn its attention to an issue which is of central concern to a country such as Australia - water resource policy. In view of the intrinsic economic and environmental importance of the way in which we use water, the council agreed to the preparation of a report for its next meeting on urban and rural water use as a basis for considering the need for greater impetus to be given to reform in this area.
Members will be conscious that micro-economic reform has been an area in which cooperation at the national level has been most fruitful in the last two years. This process is continuing. The council received a report on progress with reform of electricity arrangements from the chair of the National Grid Management Council, of which the ACT is a member. As a substantial consumer of energy, the ACT stands to benefit from this reform process, and I particularly welcome the reaffirmation by the relevant heads of government of the principle of separate generation and transmission elements in the electricity sector.
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