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MR DE DOMENICO (Minister for Urban Services and Minister for Business, Employment and Tourism) (11.24): Mr Speaker, I, for one, as a former chair of the committee that Mr Kaine chairs now, am delighted that Mr Kaine has gone to the trouble of presenting this report. Many of us have said from time to time that we really need to think about the future of the Canberra Airport. Mr Kaine is right that in 1997-98 the Federal Government will sell the Canberra Airport as part of its package. I think it is especially important, noting the role that Canberra can play in the Sydney Olympics 2000 and the centenary of Federation in 2001. Mr Kaine is right. We also need to look at the Canberra Airport in terms of what is going to happen with the high-speed train between Canberra and Sydney, which we should know a lot more about by the end of this year.

There has been some talk about the internationalisation of the Canberra Airport. It is a very easy thing to say, but Mr Kaine is right. We need to find out exactly how you value the airport and who owns what parts. It is not just as simple as some people might think. The other thing that the Government has in mind is looking at the possibility of the conversion of the Canberra Airport into an international air freight terminal, which is also talked about from time to time. In all, Mr Speaker, the Government will look closely at Mr Kaine's report. The Government at this stage has in mind the establishment of a special committee made up of various business people and others to look at the future of the Canberra Airport. A report like this one will be very interesting to read in terms of that Government priority.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

LEGAL AFFAIRS - STANDING COMMITTEE

Report on the Future of Policing in the ACT

MR CONNOLLY (11.26): Mr Speaker, I present Report No. 1 of the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs entitled “Future of Policing in the ACT”, together with extracts of the minutes of proceedings, and move:

That the report be noted.

This is the first report of the Legal Affairs Committee in its reference of considerable significance to the ACT and its future. When policing responsibility was transferred to the ACT in the period 1990-91 the arrangement locked in by legislation both federally and locally was that the Australian Federal Police would provide policing for this community, that there would be a Chief Police Officer, who would be primarily responsible for that policing, and that that officer would consult with the ACT Government, through the Attorney-General, as convention has developed.

That arrangement has provided us with very high quality police services and is a result of goodwill between successive Ministers responsible for policing and successive chief police officers. Essentially, the will of the ACT Government has been conveyed to the police force and, by and large, implemented. But there has always been an enormous potential for difficulty because the Australian Federal Police in policing the ACT have, in effect,

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