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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2584 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

I appreciate this is a very significant piece of legislation which will require considerable effort by many members, leading up to its passage, hopefully, in November or December of this year. However, it is extremely important, because it has been some time in development. I think it would be a major achievement by this Third Assembly to have a comprehensive piece of environment protection legislation on the statute books. I urge members to involve themselves in this process as they see fit and to facilitate the timetable which has been set out by the committee.

MR OSBORNE (11.04): Just briefly: I wrote to Mr Moore a number of months ago about this issue and suggested to him that it would be sensible for the Planning and Environment Committee to take it on. As Mr Humphries said, this is a very significant piece of legislation; it has been planned for and on the table for a number of years. I see Mr Moore chuckling about his invitation to a launch by the Right to Life Association. We do not mind if you come, Mr Moore. Mr Speaker, I am very pleased that the Planning and Environment Committee agreed to take this on. As I said, this is a very significant piece of legislation. I see some problems with it, albeit minor ones. I do support the main thrust of it. I think this is the most sensible way to do it. I am hopeful that the Assembly will support it and endorse it.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Debate resumed from 26 August 1997, on motion by Mr Moore:

That the report be noted.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (11.06): Mr Speaker, this report of the Administration and Procedure Committee was tabled in this place on Tuesday and we are considering it now, obviously fairly quickly, in order to facilitate in the shortest possible timeframe the broadcasting of proceedings of this place. Members have long desired for the proceedings of this place to be capable of being broadcast. We obviously feel - I hope we do not feel this without good cause - that the better exposure of what we do in this place will lead to a better understanding by the citizens of this community of what we do and better support for the processes used to resolve complex and contentious issues of public policy. The principles of broadcasting are most important and are supported by this Government and, I am sure, members of this place.

Mr Speaker, the principal objective of the report is to promulgate principles which will govern the way in which broadcasting will occur and facilitate guidance to those administering the system - principally you, Mr Speaker - in the way in which that should occur. I have obviously had only a short period of time to consider the recommendations of the committee; but I would indicate that, in the short time that I have had the chance to consider this, I have some reservations about some matters placed before the Assembly.

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