Page 3533 - Week 11 - Thursday, 14 October 1993
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given to the regulations when they are tabled, to avoid a silly "Tilley's people per metre" regulation being introduced. I am sure that in the able hands of the Minister for Urban Services this will not happen.
The Liberal Party consulted widely with ACT Fire and Emergency Services; the director, Glen Gaskill; and the chief fire control officer, Peter Lucas-Smith. I want to thank the Minister and the officers of his department for the in-depth briefings we were given on this and for their courteousness and always being available to answer questions. It is good legislation. The Liberal Party will support it. That is all I need to say.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (5.19), in reply: I thank the Opposition for their support. It is important that we get this Bill through this week so that it is in place for the bushfire season. Members will be aware, through the Estimates Committee, that there has been considerable change in this area in the last year or so. The urban and rural fire services and the emergency services have been amalgamated under the control of a civilian director. Their administration has been amalgamated, although they retain separate corporate identities. The bushfire groups in the ACT are in high spirits. They have trained well over the break period. They face a potentially difficult bushfire season because we have had good bushfire seasons for the last couple of years and there is a lot of fuel out there. I believe that the Government's changes and reforms have put them in a very healthy state, and I am sure that we wish them all well for the coming bushfire season.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion (by Mr Berry) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Ms Virginia Nicholls
MR HUMPHRIES (5.20): I wish to make some short remarks on the movement of a journalist from one part of the press gallery to another part of the press gallery. I understand that this is the last day that Ms Virginia Nicholls is serving the ABC as a reporter on Assembly affairs. Ms Nicholls will be well known to all of us. She is one of the more longstanding journalists in the ACT press gallery. Indeed, members who recall the beginnings of self-government will probably recall, as I do, that she was there, if not from the very beginning, then certainly from shortly after the beginning of ACT self-government. She has covered Assembly affairs in the meantime very well.
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