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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 5 Hansard (9 May) . . Page.. 1268 ..
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Debate (on motion by Mr Quinlan ) adjourned.
MR HIRD (12.13): Mr Speaker, I present report No 44 of the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services entitled An Appropriate Tree Management and Protection Policy for the ACT, together with copies of the extracts of the minutes of proceedings. This report was provided to you, sir, for circulation on Wednesday, 26 April this year, pursuant to the resolution of the parliament of 1 July 1999. I move:
That the report be noted.
Mr Speaker, I am delighted to table the committee's report, which is a unanimous one. Members will see that the report contains 27 recommendations. Taken together, they outline a tree policy for the ACT which is comprehensive and thorough. Members will see that we recommend a wide-ranging discussion about the final shape of a tree policy, using the committee's report as one of the key documents. We are very strong in recommending that a blanket treatment prevention order should not be introduced into the territory. We consider that the ACT community can generally be trusted to look after the trees on their leased land and that there is not enough evidence to suggest that a TPO is needed. However, we do recommend that the existing significant tree register be beefed up and that it cover some trees on private land as well as trees on public land. Further, we say that the community should be closely involved in establishing the criteria for placing trees on the significant tree register.
Another of our recommendations is that the territory government should put pressure upon the federal government to provide funds for tree policies. This is because the Commonwealth government initiated the marvellous tree heritage which the territory now enjoys, and these trees are widely perceived to be a key part of the national capital. The Commonwealth government should not be allowed to walk away from its responsibilities to keep the nation's capital blooming.
Mr Speaker, our report also calls for tree surgeons to be accredited to appropriate Australian standards, and we suggest that the Commissioner for the Environment regularly review the way the tree policy is implemented. We also say that greater attention has to be given by the ACT administration to five basic matters, including better town planning, greater resources for tree management, more tree research and more incentives to promote good tree care. Also, Mr Speaker, we ask for a better way to put a dollar value on trees so that we can be confident that the right amount of money is put aside for their long-term care and maintenance.
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