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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (1 July) . . Page.. 2015 ..

Mr Humphries: Oh!

MR HARGREAVES: If the 2IC of the Government would only sit there in patience and wait, instead of opening his mouth, he might find out. Mr Speaker, through you, can the Minister say, in relation to tender T99091 for the supply of event management services for New Year's Eve, whether fireworks contractors have expressed any concerns about projected arrangements?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, we have said in this year's budget that we will be funding some festivities over the Christmas-new year period. Given the success of the lead-up to Christmas last year, we have extended it this year, obviously, to include the millennium event, and part of it will include some fireworks. I understand that some providers have made claims. I am not aware of any claims; nobody has actually forwarded them to me. So, if Mr Hargreaves has some information, we would be delighted to see it.

MR HARGREAVES: My supplementary question to the minister for urbane services is: Can the Minister say whether it is proposed to apply an exclusion zone around the fireworks displays? If so, will that zone extend 300 metres? What impact will speedboats engaged for the waterskiing spectacular have on fireworks barges? Has this impact been factored into safety plans?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, any event that the ACT Government organises, particularly in the lead-up to the millennium, will be, of course, complying with OH&S and meeting all safety requirements. As to the reference to the Minister for urbane services, it is great to see that Mr Hargreaves is now lifting the sartorial standards that the Labor Party have adopted - he has got a waistcoat on.

But the most important issue today about urbaneness and clothing, Mr Speaker, is that it is appropriate to welcome Max to the house down here instead of the house on the hill. I notice that Max was made to take off his St Kilda tie. It is very pleasing to see another St Kilda supporter in the place. He was disappointed that he had met so many Collingwood supporters; but there are at least two of us, Max, and I think that you should wear the St Kilda tie with pride.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Urban Services.

Mr Humphries: Urbane services?

MR CORBELL: No, I am sorry, just Urban Services. Minister, is it not a fact that when the Territory Plan was introduced it replaced and made quite superfluous all previous NCDC policies? If this is the case, why is the Department of Urban Services - PALM - now relying on superseded documents such as the October 1998 NCDC document called "Planning policies for service stations" in relation to proposals for expanded retail facilities for petrol stations at Kaleen and Kambah?

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