Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 4746 ..

MS HORODNY (continuing):

It is commonly accepted that residents have a right to live in peace and quiet within their homes; yet the current situation favours truck operators, to the detriment of the neighbourhood. We believe that it is better for trucks in residential areas to be controlled totally by legislative means rather than relying on neighbours to lodge complaints. The key point in our approach to the trucks, which sets us apart from the Government's approach, is that we want the large trucks and semitrailers stopped from parking overnight in our suburbs as soon as is practicable.

It is always hard to set thresholds for dealing with particular issues; but from the previous work that has been done, including that by the former Minister, David Lamont, who put up a courageous proposal, it seems that trucks of over 12 tonnes gross weight cause the most disruption to neighbourhoods. We believe that these trucks should be banned altogether from parking in the suburbs through the establishment of truck parking facilities in the industrial areas of Canberra.

The initial criticism that was levelled at our proposal for truck parking was that it is too costly and inconvenient to park the trucks elsewhere. Let me repeat what I have said previously about the costs, because there is a real question of equity here that the Government needs to take note of. At present, the neighbours of truck operators are bearing the cost of trucks being parked in residential areas. The Government is also bearing a financial cost in terms of the damage these large trucks cause to pavements and footpaths of residential streets that were not designed for regular use by heavy vehicles. The simple fact is that truck operators are getting free parking and free security for their vehicles, when other people have to pay to park their vehicles at work, and many businesses pay for the provision of parking for their employees and for their company vehicles. This is inequitable.

The establishment of a commercially run truck park is quite feasible. We know of more than one business now that is prepared to establish truck parking facilities in Canberra. Under this proposal, for an estimated daily cost of between $40 and $45, which is not much more than people pay to park their cars in Civic at present and which is tax deductible, truck operators will get a fully secure truck park with associated service facilities in Mitchell or Hume. The businesses we have spoken to are prepared to pay for the land on which the truck parks would be built, so there is no need at all for a government subsidy.

We are pleased to see that the Government has called for expressions of interest in the establishment of truck parks, but we do not believe that these will be viable unless this Bill is improved. At present, the Bill gives no certainty as to how many trucks will need parking in these areas. It is also to be expected that, if there is a chance under the new rules for truck operators to be able to keep their trucks at home, they will do all they can to avoid paying the cost of truck parking elsewhere. Any business would be crazy to invest potentially millions of dollars in truck parks when there is so much uncertainty as to how many trucks will use them.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .