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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 5 Hansard (6 May) . . Page.. 1555 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

appropriates that amount. Mr Speaker, this is the first time for many years the clerical wage increases have been supplemented by additional budget funding.

In addition to the amount appropriated for wage increases, the bill provides for the appropriation of further moneys associated with tragic events of the January 2003 bushfire. Mr Speaker, the government has acted quickly to assess the damage and put in place programs to ensure quick recovery of urban assets and the environment. An appropriation of $3.374 million is being provided to the Department of Urban Services to assist in bushfire recovery and addressing environmental issues.

The appropriation includes: $1.5 million towards the removal of damaged trees and debris from road verges; $659,000 for the regreening of fire affected areas; $210,000 for the removal of pines and casuarinas from the Cotter Reserve area; $300,000 for urgent remedial action involving landslip rectification; $50,000 towards suppression of potential encroachment of noxious weeds in fire affected areas; $80,000 for the replacement of garbage and recycling bins; $25,000 to extend the free plant issue scheme to assist in rebuilding gardens damaged or destroyed by the fire; $100,000 towards community engagement in restoration of the Murrumbidgee; and $450,000 for fuel management, recovery of ACT heritage places and fire suppression trails and walking trails.

Mr Speaker, $630,000 will be appropriated to ACT Forests to assist in the clean-up of burnt trees in Duffy and for aerial grass seeding of burnt areas. Finally, $500,000 is being provided for the ACT Ambulance Service to meet the cost of the new paramedic skills allowance that resulted from the AIRC decision of September 2002 on the ACT ambulance officers work value case.

The impact on the Territory's operating result will be $15.9 million. This includes $3.2 million for wages above the original provision; $8.2 million for the impact of the revaluation of employee provisions-the increase in employee-related provisions is a non-cash cost; $4 million for bushfire recovery costs; and $500,000 for the ambulance officers work value case.

Mr Speaker, I commend this bill to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Smyth ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Education advisory bodies

Papers and statement by minister

MS GALLAGHER (Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Women and Minister for Industrial Relations): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the following papers:

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