Page 2547 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 1993
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I am aware of and welcome the diesohol trials, the three-for-free and park-and-ride initiatives, the rental bike racks at bus interchanges, and the current transport study being undertaken. All of these undertakings nibble at the margins of petroleum product use. I await with interest the announcement of what incentives motorists will be offered to become public transport commuters, for drivers to practise fuel conservation driving techniques, and for better emission monitoring of vehicles to ensure that all vehicle owners keep their cars operating efficiently.
Perhaps as part of its new strategy the Government could embark on an intensive multimedia public education campaign, not just bus billboards, showing people the benefits of commuting by bus.
Members interjected.
Mr Lamont: On a point of order, Madam Speaker: I am trying to listen to Ms Szuty and I am finding it extremely difficult to hear. It is an important issue.
MADAM SPEAKER: You cannot be feeling too well today, Mr Lamont. Could we have a spot of order, please, members.
MS SZUTY: Similarly, while the Government is very keen on brochures as an educative medium, I feel that research on the effectiveness of this approach is needed. I have a suspicion that higher priced electronic media advertisements may have more recognition and therefore in the end may, in concert with other avenues of public education, have more impact. I will leave that thought there, but I hope that the term "education campaign" comes to mean more than school campaigns and brochures at shopfronts.
Like the environmental lobby, I feel that the greenhouse strategy and the Government's energy management program are good initiatives, but this will take us only so far towards our goal of real reductions in greenhouse emissions and the resulting savings in energy conservation. I am pleased that the Government is focusing on energy efficiency in its buildings. However, I note with growing concern that in the case of privately owned buildings, either domestic or commercial, the emphasis again remains on new buildings. Given that the ACT probably has more existing buildings than it will build in the next decade, the emphasis should be more on conversion of buildings from energy guzzlers to energy conservers. I am sure that, with encouragement from the Government, many businesses in Canberra could be convinced of the benefits of retrofitting their existing premises to make them more energy efficient.
Can I suggest to the Government that a next phase in this excellent program may involve the Canberra business community providing information and supporting their attempts to improve energy efficiency. In many cases, there is a need for only guidance and information provision to achieve a result. In some cases the support may need to extend to other arrangements, such as ACT Electricity and Water possibly acting as a consultant to achieve this end. There could also be some investigation of financial incentives or assistance or offsets for small businesses.
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