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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 5 Hansard (9 May) . . Page.. 1426 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

of issues. Of course, we are not going to speculate about what is in or out. Those are the essential facts or truths around any issue to do with a budget.

At this stage of the process, we are bringing down the budget at the end of June. We are actively pursuing its development; it is something that-as it was for you, I am sure-consumes an awful lot of energy, takes a lot of time and requires very deep consideration of a whole range of issues.

In the context of delivering the budget, more than anything else, we are mindful of the commitments we made and of our determination to keep them.

MR SMYTH: Chief Minister, given their concern, have you met with the ACT Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as part of your budget consultation process-and did they raise the issue of ensuring that the ACT payroll tax regime stays competitive?

MR STANHOPE: I meet regularly with Chris Peters, although I have not had a specific discussion with him since this issue arose. It first arose as a public issue as a result of announcements made in Victoria. However, I am more than aware of the views of the chamber of commerce on this particular issue.

Roads-speed zones

MR STEFANIAK: My question is to the Minister for Urban Services. Minister, in your reply to a question from Ms MacDonald on a proposal by Mrs Cross to immediately introduce 50-kilometre an hour speed limits on suburban streets, you stated that this was "a half-baked announcement". You further stated that you wanted to give the trial more time to "take the community with us" and that polling that you had done showed that the proposal had the support of 70 per cent of the community.

Minister, yesterday, on 8 May, your colleague Mr Hargreaves-

Mrs Dunne: March.

MR STEFANIAK: This press release says "8 May". That is what it is dated. I understand that while it is dated 8 May it is actually 8 March. However, your colleague Mr Hargreaves also called for the introduction of 50-kilometre an hour speed limits for all suburban streets. In the last paragraph of his media release, Mr Hargreaves said:

I call on the Minister for Urban Services, Bill Wood MLA, to give strong consideration to introducing a permanent 50 km/h speed limit on all suburban streets.

I seek leave to table that press release.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: I present the following paper:

Fifty km/hour speed limits on suburban streets-Copy of media release by Mr John Hargreaves MLA, dated 8 May 2002.

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