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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 12 Hansard (12 November) . . Page.. 4012 ..

Ms McRae: You just said you did not, in answer to my previous question.

MRS CARNELL: No, I did not say that. I said it is true that Lend Lease did ring me and do a character check on Tony. I think it is very important here to make some things very clear for those opposite. No taxpayers' money at all was spent with regard to Tony De Domenico leaving the Assembly. Tony left of his own accord, and he made that clear at his press conference. I just thought I would let you get over a few of your problems. No negotiations were had by anybody with Tony with regard to his leaving and no deals were entered into with regard to Mr De Domenico. That might mean that those opposite might be able to get back to some questions on matters that actually matter to the people of Canberra.

MR MOORE: I have a question of that kind, Mr Speaker. It matters not only to the people of Canberra, but to the people of the region. My question is directed to Mr Humphries as Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. Minister, your Government has announced at various times, most recently with a media release from Bill Stefaniak today, that the Government will apply a noise limit of 10 decibels above background levels to motor sport activity at Fairbairn Park under the new environment protection legislation, as opposed to the current standard of five decibels above background levels, which the motor sport clubs were not able to achieve and for which you constantly allowed exemptions. Minister, could you explain why the Government's new noise regulations are not going to apply equally to all noisy activities in the ACT? For example, a noisy activity like a party or a concert at Oaks Estate would not be allowed to exceed 45 decibels under the proposed regulations under the environment protection legislation, yet the noise from Fairbairn Park that affects Oaks Estate, amongst other places, and the Ridgeway in Queanbeyan will be allowed to reach 50 decibels. The critical part of the question is: Why is there one law for motor sports under the proposed new legislation and another law for other noisy activities?

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I am not sure whether I should be answering this question or Mr Stefaniak, but - - -

Mr Moore: I am asking you as Environment Minister.

MR HUMPHRIES: All right. I concede that the law in respect of this activity at Fairbairn Park is different to the law applying elsewhere, but the reason for applying it in this way is quite simple. This Government happens to believe that the operation of motor sport in the ACT is a matter in which a great many Canberrans have a strong recreational interest. Some even have a business interest in it, such as suppliers of various equipment used in that recreation. We do not wish to end their pursuit of motor sport in the ACT. We believe that, if the regulations are not provided in such a way as to permit the continuation of motor sports at Fairbairn Park, then they almost certainly will not continue at all in the ACT.

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