Page 1892 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 16 June 1993
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MRS CARNELL: The very real problems that exist would be apparent to Mr Berry if he carried out any of his precious community consultation, which we know he never does. If he talked to people in shopping centres, the shoppers, particularly the elderly, he would know that, for those who can move around less ably than obviously he can, skateboarders and rollerbladers are very concerning. It is not just our elderly people who are concerned.
Mr Berry: Why? Tell us about it.
MRS CARNELL: If Mr Berry had ever been in a position of going shopping with a couple of young children, a child in a stroller or a toddler that could not get out of the way, he would know perfectly well that this is a very real issue.
Mr Berry: Very real? What is it? What is the problem?
Mr Kaine: I raise a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. I would suggest that we are getting close to the point where you should warn Mr Berry, and we might liven up the day a bit if he does not like the way the debates are going now.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Berry, I trust that you will stop interrupting and let Mrs Carnell finish her speech.
MRS CARNELL: Mr Berry seems to be a great expert in this area. He seems to know what the community believe in this area. That means that he has not actually read any of his mail in the last six months or so - as Mr Connolly said, for a long time. In my own shop, on two occasions over the last few years I have had customers who have been hit by skateboarders. In that situation it is not a very nice deal. In both circumstances I admit that no bones were broken; there were just people who were badly scared.
In environments that were not designed for skateboarding and rollerblading we are not just allowing, but actually encouraging, people to engage in those activities. If shopping centres are to be used as sports facilities, maybe we could see football or volleyball in the middle of our shopping centres. Maybe we could have a driving range and those sorts of things. That might seem silly, but skateboarding and rollerblading are sports - - -
Mr Cornwell: We are short of cricket pitches. What say we put one of those in Garema Place?
MRS CARNELL: I think that is a very appropriate statement from Mr Cornwell. Skateboarding and rollerblading are either methods of transport or alternatively sporting activities, neither of which are appropriate in a shopping centre environment. Overseas or, for that matter, in other parts of Australia skateboarders and rollerbladers are banned from shopping malls and all sorts of areas. Even in the United States, the home of individual freedom, rollerbladers and skateboarders are banned from shopping centres. Why are they banned? They are banned because it is sensible to ban them. They are banned because they are inappropriate in shopping centres, particularly in shopping centre malls.
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