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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 8 Hansard (24 October) . . Page.. 1959 ..

MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, I must say that there is nothing to stop anybody bringing on a matter relating to this Government's performance in any area. It can be done in all sorts of ways. But I draw your attention to the fact that the order of the day on the notice paper is the Government's response to the State of the Environment Report 1994 and the motion to take note of the paper. This is why I uphold Mr Humphries's point. I cannot see how debate on the State of the Environment Report 1994 can be interpreted as a debate on the current Government's performance in the area. They were not in government at the time.

MR BERRY: Let me explain, Mr Speaker. In tabling the Government's response, the Minister listed the five main topics as atmosphere, water, land, plants and animals, and the urban environment. They are issues that the Minister himself mentioned in his tabling statement. They are issues that I wish to address in relation to this Government's performance against the background of this report.

Mr Humphries: On the point of order, Mr Speaker: I did list five matters in my tabling statement but in relation to 51 recommendations in the report. Everything in the Government's statement is directed at responses to issues in the 1994 State of the Environment Report.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, you must take note of the notice paper. It makes it clear that this is about the Government's response; but, as I explained to you, there was a tabling statement which related to those five key issues which I wish to address.

MR SPEAKER: As Mr Humphries has just pointed out, those five key issues refer to 51 recommendations in the 1994 report.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, if Mr Berry can show us where, for example, Dr Baker refers in the 1994 report to smoke coming across the border from New South Wales since 9 March 1995 - the issue Mr Berry raised - I will very happily concede the point of order; but until he can I will not.

MR SPEAKER: The matter of the smoke coming across the border was after this report, Mr Berry.

MR BERRY: Indeed. I would not suggest otherwise.

MR SPEAKER: The Government's response to the State of the Environment Report 1994 could hardly have covered that particular issue. Therefore, it is not germane to the debate that is taking place now.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, the Government's response was after the smoke.

MR SPEAKER: But the Government's response was in relation to the 1994 report. The smoke coming across the border is not germane to this debate.

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