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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1186 ..

Mr Kaine: Is that four kilometres an hour or two?

MR HIRD: Yes, go slow; have little speedos on skateboards, or lollipop ladies or men. In recommending a go-slow zone, the committee is abrogating its responsibilities to the general community. It is having two bob each way, so to speak. This recommendation is a joke, Mr Speaker.

Where does the committee believe funds can be found to finance its recommendations? A community education project involving the employment of community workers to promote community education on safe skating practices will not come cheaply, Mr Speaker. It is too bad I cannot put some of these people over here on skateboards and give them a downhill ride. All the education in the world will not save some innocent bystander from being seriously injured if an educated skateboarder suddenly loses control of his board in the middle of Bunda Street or Garema Place or some other public shopping area in the Territory.

The recommendation that the Government consider extending the Civic skate park - it has only just been built and it cost $320,000 - relocating the air monitoring unit, removing hedges, relocating the electrical substation and providing additional skating facilities in Canberra is another costly exercise. And for what? The committee has acknowledged that the Civic skate park, built at a cost, as I said, of $320,000 to taxpayers and ratepayers, is not being fully utilised. Specific skating facilities are provided already not only in Civic, Mr Speaker, but also at Telopea Park, Campbell, Kippax - Mr Berry would know, because I have seen him frequent that skating park - Charnwood, Rivett, Stirling, Fadden, Kambah and Richardson. Perhaps, Mr Speaker, if legislation were introduced to keep skateboarders away from shopping areas the skaters might use these facilities that the Government has provided for them. Then we could look at providing additional facilities that might be used. It seems to me, Mr Speaker, that if we adopt these recommendations we will be putting the cart before the horse.

I could not believe what I read on page 11 of the report, under the heading "Pedestrian Safety Issues" - that the committee would take account of a submission from an in-line skater who said:

... pedestrians should stand still or keep moving in the same direction, most skaters are considerate of older people.

On page 12 of the same report the committee said it had accepted evidence from a Garema Place businessman that he had witnessed a number of serious accidents in which older pedestrians had fallen due to the actions of skateboarders. Is this being considerate of old people or other shoppers, or other pedestrians? I think not.

The needs of young people seem to have been the committee's prime concern. What about some concern for the people who are being harassed and injured - the pedestrians and shoppers? Mr Speaker, there is one thing we should all remember. Shopping centres, like those in Civic or in other parts of the Territory, are for shopping pedestrians. They are shopping pedestrian areas. They are not sporting or recreational areas and ought not to be used as such.

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