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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1180 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

came up with the recommendations we did. The police say it would be almost impossible to enforce legislation. Young people do not have identification. The proposed legislation would be difficult to enforce. Young people should not be forced out of the city and major shopping areas, and the legislation would further damage relations between young people and the police.

In-line skaters would be deterred from commuting, as they would find it hard to avoid travelling through shopping areas on their way to work. They would also not be able to skate at lunchtime; nor could they skate to a cafe or restaurant. In-line skaters were not happy about having their activities curtailed because of the problems caused by a minority of skaters, feeling that the majority should not be penalised for the problems caused by a few. Education was seen as a more effective way of changing behaviour than introducing legislation.

Basically, what the committee did was focus on the manner of use of skateboards rather than the place. That has happened in a number of other regions in Australia and overseas. We ask that there be a trial of go-slow zones to address the problem that skateboarders cause fear in older people or other members of the community if they are coming fast, as do in-line skaters if they are coming fast, and if they are doing tricks where there is loud crashing. That sort of use of skateboards was quite obviously where the problems lay. The idea is that we have this trial of the go-slow zones, and the tricks and the fast riding occur in the skate parks, which are the appropriate places. When skaters are moving through public areas they can stay on their skates, but they are not to go fast. It is a go-slow zone. In New York they say you cannot recklessly ride your skateboard. That is another way of framing it. Basically, the go-slow zone would be accompanied by an education campaign and a code of conduct not dissimilar to the one this Government has just produced for mountain bikes. There are obvious ways by which you can let people know you are coming. You can say, "Coming on the left", or you can ring bells. On bikes you ring bells. Basically, it is up to the community involved in this issue to decide what the protocols would be.

The really critical thing is that this educational approach to this issue of cooperative sharing of public space has to be taken on with goodwill. I have heard people making extremely cynical comments, and they can ensure very easily that this fails. There is no doubt about that. On the other hand, people can actually give young people a chance. They can acknowledge that often education, encouragement and giving responsibility are what works with young people, much more than punishment. I have heard such sentiments expressed here and I am very disappointed when I hear people chuckling away and saying this is a joke. If we do not give young people a chance to do this, and if the tradespeople do not give them a chance, how can you blame young people? You can then bring in legislation and you will, I believe, pay the price of that in terms of relationships between young people and the community.

I think we have taken a really good approach to this issue. I think this is an opportunity for all members of the community to get together on this issue, because we do want to see a situation where public space is shared in an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual respect. I believe that, if the Government appropriately funds and facilitates the development of this protocol and code of conduct, there is a very good chance that we will find a solution to this problem which will take into account everyone's concerns.

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