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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2660 ..

Mr De Domenico: What about ACTION buses? Are they okay? They are over 12 tonnes, are they not?

MS HORODNY: Mr De Domenico, you would do well to listen. You may learn something. The major criticism that has been levelled at our proposal by some in this place is that it is too costly and inconvenient to park trucks elsewhere. But let me repeat what I have said previously about the costs. There is a real question of equity here, and the Government needs to take note of this.

Mr De Domenico: How will we pay for it?

MS HORODNY: At present, Mr De Domenico, we are asking the neighbours of truck operators to bear the environmental costs of trucks being parked in their residential areas. This is also translated into real financial costs, as there has already been a case where a resident has had his rates valuation reduced because of the impact on his property's value of a truck parked next-door. If every resident in a similar situation across Canberra also applied for a rates reduction, it would have a significant impact on government revenue. I am sure you would agree with that, Mr De Domenico. The Government is also bearing a financial cost in terms of the damage that these large trucks cause to pavements and footpaths of residential streets that were not designed for regular use by heavy vehicles.

Truck operators have complained that if they had to park their trucks in remote car parks the trucks would be more vulnerable to vandalism. I find it quite extraordinary that the truck operators seek to rely on the relative security of their residential neighbourhoods as a way of protecting their trucks, yet they are not prepared to compensate their neighbours in any way by being more considerate as to when and how they operate their trucks. The simple fact is that truck operators are getting free parking for their vehicles and free security, when many other people have to pay to park their cars at work and businesses have to pay for the provision of parking for their employees' vehicles and for their company vehicles. This is inequitable.

The Government tells us that it is going to cost millions to build truck parking areas in the industrial areas, but that is not what we are asking for. We think that the Government should think laterally on this issue and should think about finding parking spaces for these trucks. There are already acres of car parks around the city in the industrial and commercial areas. They are away from residential areas and are empty overnight. The Government should first be looking at how these areas could be utilised for truck parking before any consideration is given to building new truck parks. Even if this became necessary, and we doubt that it would, we believe that such truck parks should be run on a commercial basis just like many other car parks around the ACT.

In summary, the Government's rules are biased against the rights of residents to enjoy peace and quiet in their homes. Truck drivers have been getting away for too long with being able to park wherever they like. There are many other places where trucks can be parked. Trucks do not belong in our suburbs. The Bill I am presenting today will not solve all the problems relating to truck parking. It also represents only one part of the Greens' total package to control truck parking. In the Assembly in May we attempted

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