Page 3161 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 September 1993
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The Bushfire (Amendment) Bill 1993 amends the Act for several main purposes: To enable a fire to be lit on a day of acute fire danger in circumstances prescribed by regulation and to empower the Minister to place conditions on the lighting of such a fire; and also to modify gender specific terminology. I envisage that a similar set of exemptions will apply as now apply in New South Wales. These include the use of fire during normal work at factories and hospitals, or for the maintenance of essential services such as heat, light, power, water, sewerage, transport or communications, or by a public authority for the disposal of waste material likely to cause a health hazard; or for the purpose of food preparation or heating liquids on a gas fired or electric appliance. Such exemptions would come with the condition that all reasonable steps are taken to prevent the escape of fire, sparks, or incandescent or burning material.
In relation to barbecues I envisage, consistent with New South Wales, that a responsible adult must be present at all times, that the area around the fireplace is cleared of flammable material for at least three metres, and that a system of applying water to the appliance and its surrounds is available for immediate and continuous use. Apart from providing consistency between ACT and New South Wales, exemptions along the lines I have mentioned are considered realistic and appropriate, given the improvements in design and application of outdoor cooking appliances, industrial incinerators and maintenance tools since the total fire ban provisions were added to the Careless Use of Fire Act back in 1952. There are administrative inconveniences in having different sets of exemptions for open-air fires between the ACT and surrounding country New South Wales.
To more truly reflect the application of the Act in the control of bushfires, the Bill also changes the name of the Act to the Bushfire Act 1993. All sexist language is being removed from the Act, and penalties have been reviewed to ensure that they are included where necessary and consistent with other ACT legislation. I present an explanatory memorandum to the Bill.
Debate (on motion by Mr De Domenico) adjourned.
MOTOR TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. 4) 1993
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (10.40): Madam Speaker, I present the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Bill (No. 4) 1993.
Title read by Clerk.
MR CONNOLLY: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Madam Speaker, this Bill amends the Motor Traffic Act 1936 to introduce priority for buses at traffic signals and when leaving the left-hand side of the road, and to introduce an appropriate licensing regime for vehicles operating for hire or reward which do not fall within the current taxi or private hire car provisions.
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