Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 10 Hansard (29 August) . . Page.. 3015 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

are figures that I recognise from a previous cabinet decision, but it is good to see that that money actually appeared in the budget. So on that score, well done. But it is a pity about the paid parking, it is a pity about the rangers and it is a pity about the Deakin shops.

Amendment agreed to.

Proposed expenditure, as amended, agreed to.

Proposed expenditure-part 13-land, $1,845,000 (capital injection), totalling $1,845,000-agreed to.

Proposed expenditure-part 14-ACT Forests, $90,000 (net cost of outputs), totalling $90,000.

MS TUCKER (11.28): I was going to comment on the proposed expenditure for land, but we got through that too quickly. However, I will make a few comments on forests. Obviously, the big issue for ACT Forests at the moment is recovering from the Christmas bushfires and I note the comment in the Estimates Committee report that this has not resulted in a financial loss, as the forests were covered by insurance. Without wanting to reflect on my previous motion in this Assembly calling for a review of the use of the plantation land that was burnt out, I still believe that this has been a lost opportunity, and we are now back to business as usual with the forests.

I would like to emphasise the importance of ACT Forests managing their land on the basis of sound environmental principles. In particular, there is a need for strong programs of weed control to stop weeds spreading out from the plantations onto adjacent land. ACT Forests also need to control the spread of pine wildlings. However, this needs to be balanced with ensuring that any chemicals used are safe for the environment. The proposal by ACT Forests to aerial spray the forests next to Weston is still in residents' minds and I think that further work needs to be done to develop alternative control strategies. Another issue for ACT Forests is the need to control erosion from forest roads, given that these are often used for other activities such as car rallies.

Pine plantations around the ACT serve multiple purposes. They are a commercial crop as well as a recreational resource. The plantations also contain pockets of natural areas of ecological value that need protection. The management of the plantations also has downstream effects on our waterways. An appropriate balance must be struck between meeting these diverse and sometimes conflicting demands.

MRS DUNNE (11.29): Mr Speaker, ACT Forests are starting to turn the corner. ACT Forests are starting to work well and there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are actually going to see, with a bit of good management, ACT Forests starting to make a profit, and that is because of the reforms that were put in place by the previous Liberal government. The previous Liberal government worked hard to turn around the appalling legacy left by federal Labor governments which over many years stripped ACT Forests of their assets and were not prepared to put in money. The result of that was a badly managed, top-heavy, topsy-turvy sort of organisation which was not able to generate a constant income because the planning regimes were all wrong. We have managed to turn that around.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .