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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (3 September) . . Page.. 2802 ..

Ms Horodny: To save a dollar?

MR HIRD: To save $1.20.

Ms Horodny: Very clever economics, Mr Hird.

MR HIRD: You may well laugh about things. There are a lot of people who count their dollars and are serious about where they spend them. When they get sick of going across the border, they will simply stop buying eggs. Either way, the end result will be the loss of jobs at the Parkwood egg farm in Belconnen. My advice to the Greens is that it is time they got out into the real world and saw for themselves what the people really want. If the average Canberra family wants barn eggs, then they are not showing it in the supermarkets. In the real world, Ms Horodny, barn eggs are available now in Canberra supermarkets. Most of them are produced by the owners of Parkwood at their egg farms outside the ACT, but there are not too many shoppers rushing to the supermarket shelves to buy them. You would have to admit that, Ms Horodny.

The production of barn eggs in the ACT will evolve over time if the consumer demonstrates that he or she wants them. Do the members of this parliament believe for one minute that, if the consumer started switching preferences to barn eggs, Parkwood would not start converting some of their existing hen housing from cages to barn egg production? Of course they would. That would be a commercial decision. They are business people. They would be forced to do so by the consumer. You can move all the legislation you like, but at the end of the day it is the consumer who counts in this matter. At the moment consumers are not demonstrating that they are prepared to pay an extra $1.20 for their eggs. If the Greens got out and observed the needs of the community - and I invite them to do that - they would see that the vast majority of Canberra people prefer to buy eggs produced by cage hens, simply because they are cheaper. They are demonstrating this in their thousands in the Canberra supermarkets. That is where the vote should be taken, and that is where it will be taken - on the supermarket shelves, not in this parliament.

I will be voting against this Bill because I want to retain jobs and a viable business within not only the Territory but my electorate. We must never forget that jobs are precious. I turn to Mr Berry and say to him that he now has the opportunity of pushing aside the rhetoric of his colleague on the backbench, Mr Corbell, in foreshadowing amendments. Push that aside and make certain that we retain the 50-plus jobs in this vital industry in Belconnen, in his electorate and mine, and vote against this Bill.

MS TUCKER (11.43): I will make a few comments in this debate, particularly responding to some of the statements from Mr Humphries. It is interesting that we now have the ability to have particular debates broadcast in this place. I understand that it is at the discretion of the Speaker whether they are perceived as important or landmark debates. I believe this is such a debate. I think it is very significant because what we are seeing brought into debate in this place is the question of standards and ethics against the current common ideology of both major parties that competition and applying market principles are the way to achieve an outcome that will address the needs of all people in the community.

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