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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4897 ..

Clauses 25 and 26, by leave, taken together

MR MOORE (10.16): I draw members' attention to the fact that my amendments Nos 3, 4, 5, 6, 22, 23, 35 and 37 are amendments that have to do with an issue that we have already debated, and that is about the department preparing assessments. I will not be moving those amendments.

Clauses agreed to.

Clause 27

MS HORODNY (10.17): I withdraw my amendment No. 10, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. I now move amendment No. 11 circulated in my name, which reads:

Page 7, line 12, proposed paragraph 117(2)(b), omit all the words after "person" (first occurring), substitute "on request, without charge".

Amendment No. 11 ensures that preliminary assessment reports are available free of charge. It seems quite inconsistent that a vast range of government documents, including some that are quite thick and obviously cost some dollars to print, are available free of charge to the community on the basis that this facilitates community access to information and helps them contribute to the democratic process, yet preliminary assessments will be available only for a fee. It is true that some of the preliminary assessments are produced by private developers, but the cost of printing these PAs would be relatively small compared to the cost of producing the PA. It is not an onerous cost and it should be regarded as part of the cost of seeking development approval.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (10.18): I am not sure whether Ms Horodny understands that it is possible for a person who wishes to view a preliminary assessment or a public environment report, or whatever, to do so free of charge at the office of PALM.

Ms Horodny: You are not going to read a document that thick.

MR HUMPHRIES: You want us to say, "Does anyone want a copy of a document that thick? Sure. We will make a copy for you".

Ms McRae: Ten trees.

MR HUMPHRIES: I do not think anything that the Government provides which comes at that cost to the environment should be provided without charge. Take trees. You need trees to do that.

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