Page 3101 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 20 September 1994
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Environment - Protection and Enhancement
MS ELLIS: My question is directed to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. I ask the Minister: Noting continuing concerns about the state of the environment in Australia as aired, for example, on the recent TV program about the clean up the world campaign, as also seen last night on the Lateline program, is the ACT Government fulfilling its obligation to protect and enhance the ACT's environment?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, the ACT Government gives, as I believe all ACT citizens do, the highest priority to the environment - to maintaining and, indeed, enhancing our local environment. We will see evidence of that, Madam Speaker, tomorrow when I table the first report of the Commissioner for the Environment. It was a landmark decision by this Government to establish the commissioner on a statutory basis. It is unique in Australia, and I believe that tomorrow we will see a very important step as the commissioner reports on the state of our environment. We were reminded of the priority we give to the environment last week when this parliament unanimously passed amendments to the Nature Conservation Act to ensure protection for our threatened and endangered species and habitats. That was a very important issue, one that was worked through with the community over a long period. Members will recall also, on another matter, that we are currently developing integrated environmental protection legislation that would encompass all issues, draw together a number of Acts that apply at the moment and considerably improve our ability to handle pollution, should it occur.
Perhaps overriding all these issues is the development of the ACT environment strategy - the overview of what we do. Again, in keeping with what the Follett Government does, there has been very extensive community consultation in the development of that strategy. I believe that that consultation will come to a successful end in November or perhaps December of this year when the Government is able to bring down its strategy, which will guide people in and around the ACT on the way we should be proceeding. These are four key points that we have pursued. It has taken us some time. We have been pursuing those over the last two to three years, and they are now coming to fruition or are already there. They certainly demonstrate our high priority for care of the environment.
I might mention a couple of other matters of significance that have arisen underneath that. For example, the last budget that Rosemary Follett brought down set aside $80,000 to look into strategies to develop further green jobs or environmentally friendly jobs. I notice that the Federal Government has also embarked on that task and has used our Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Joe Baker, to carry through that work. I am delighted that they, too, are pursuing that role. Another matter which is of very great importance to the environmental groups is that I have separated out from the heritage area grants that had formerly been given for environmental activities.
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