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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (20 June) . . Page.. 1964 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

The ACT has the highest proportion of its land dedicated to nature reserves and national parks of any jurisdiction in the country, by a country mile, and we have recently added to that quite significantly. We have added to that quite significantly in recent days by the creation of 500 hectares of reserve for native grassland in Gungahlin - a very significant addition to endangered habitat and also an important area of protection for a particular species that live in that particular form of temperate grassland.

Mr Speaker, on the question of integrated environment protection legislation, that is a matter which has been given priority under this Government and is being developed at this very point in time. It is a very easy ploy to say, "It has not happened yet; therefore, the Government must be dragging its feet on it", or whatever. That task was more or less begun under this Government. It is an extremely complex piece of legislation to bring together at least half-a-dozen pieces of existing legislation whose gestation and enactment goes back for at least a decade. To bring them all together into a single integrated piece of legislation is a very big task and, Mr Speaker, I believe that it has been given the priority it deserves to be able to get to a stage where it can be introduced, I hope, in the near future.

As far as greenhouse gases are concerned, Mr Speaker, I do not hesitate to tell the Assembly that the ACT has the most advanced position on greenhouse gases of any jurisdiction in this country, including the Commonwealth. Our position on those things, I believe, is exemplary. I accept that nothing we do is going to satisfy the Greens' agenda, but we have taken a strong position both on ozone depleting substances and on greenhouse gases. I believe that in both of those areas we lead the nation in terms of what we are doing. We are the only jurisdiction to have such an advanced system of energy rating for new housing. We have in place a program for government offices to reduce the level of - - -

Ms Tucker: You have cut $12m out of public transport.

MR HUMPHRIES: Again we have the simple equation made by the Greens. I would ask her what she thinks it does for the environment to have buses that are half empty running through the streets of Canberra.

Ms Tucker: Reliable regular services.

Ms Horodny: You are supposed to get people onto those buses.

MR HUMPHRIES: I beg your pardon; that is a great exaggeration. Forget half empty; they are almost completely empty. In some cases they are completely empty. What does that do for the environment, Ms Horodny or Ms Tucker? It does nothing for the environment. Mr Speaker, it makes perfect sense to rationalise bus services where they are severely underpatronised, and that, of course, is a responsible act. Again there is a very simple mind-set on the part of the Greens.

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