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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4888 ..

Debate resumed from 3 December 1997, on motion by Ms Tucker:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

MR OSBORNE (6.10): I will be very brief. I believe that this debate is going to be adjourned, but I would like to make a couple of points. I do not particularly have anything against trees. I quite love trees, but I do not know whether I would go so far as to say I hug them.

Mr Moore: You should branch out.

MR OSBORNE: Mr Moore says I should branch out. I believe that Canberra's unique garden character is due in no small part to the number and variety of trees here, and they have been planted since we moved here, I believe. It was a plain prior to our coming here. I also think that, as a general rule, people should have a good reason if they are going to cut down a tree. However, I can think of 469 reasons why I will not be supporting this Bill today - not four, not six, not nine, not 100, not 200, not 300, not even 400, but 469 reasons why I will not be supporting it today. Madam Deputy Speaker, over the past three years the Greens have talked about community consultation 469 times in this place, and I do not see why those who hold community consultation in such high regard, and hold others to it, I might add, should be allowed to push this Bill through with such haste. It would appear, Madam Deputy Speaker, that community consultation applies only when it suits the Greens.

Having said that, there are a couple of consequences of this Bill that make me believe that it needs to be discussed by the wider community. It may be that on hearing of this Bill people decide not to plant native trees, preferring to keep control of their yards. Maybe they will not, but maybe we should ask. I also wonder about the wisdom of allowing third parties to object to cutting down a tree. Do we really need both the Government and our neighbours looking over our fence, making comments about the landscaping?

However, I will say this, Madam Deputy Speaker: I agree that this Bill does have some merit. It certainly requires further consideration and some community consultation. Should I return after the election I will reconsider this Bill. I am sure that if the Greens are returned they will bring it back before the house. However, as I said, I find it appalling that the Greens are attempting to rush through a Bill of this nature which has the potential to affect every household. As I said, there are 469 reasons why I will not be supporting it today.

MR MOORE (6.14): May I give reasons Nos 470, 471 and 472? Reason No. 470, Madam Deputy Speaker, is that I went to the last election saying I would not support tree preservation legislation. Sometimes that was difficult. I went to the sorts of forums where the Conservation Council wants people to stand up on their election platform and I knew that they wanted to see something different. I said, "No, I do not believe so",

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