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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 10 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3584 ..

MS GALLAGHER (continuing):

This is a much more complex issue than just the banning of the retail sale of fireworks to members of the public. I have certainly had a considerable number of representations against fireworks. We had about 650 complaints, from memory, about last June long weekend. However, that has to be balanced with the fact that there are also significant numbers in our community who do enjoy the use of fireworks over the Queen's Birthday long weekend, who do it safely and who abide by the law. The government has taken the view that we need to tighten up the regulations and that we need to provide a framework in which that balance can be achieved, but that it should be achieved in the safest possible way for the community.

I would just say that this bill before us does not really deal with the significant issues about dangerous goods in the ACT. We are doing the work, Mr Pratt. It is very comprehensive. We will be bringing it forward for debate in the Assembly. We have chosen not to go as far as you have in your bill, as you are seeking a total ban.

Even though I have only been dealing with this issue for a short time, I am not sure the banning of sales to the public is going to address some of the general concerns out there, because many of those concerns are to do with the illegal sale and use of fireworks. We are looking at ways to crack down on that, because some of those problems have not been created by simply selling to members of the public. There have been some problems linked to that, but the dangerous substances bill that we will bring forward will very much tighten up the laws on that and significantly increase penalties for the illegal use or sale of fireworks.

I know it is something in which Mr Pratt has taken a great deal of interest. Only last week, Mr Pratt had some dealings with some discarded fireworks that were found in Amaroo. He put out a media release to a local newspaper about this terrible situation-and it was terrible-saying that this was due to the continuing failure of current regulations.

When I was approached to comment on this story, I actually inquired whether this matter had been referred to WorkCover so that we could consider the issue, to see whether it was the result of an illegal sale or whether the fireworks had been purchased quite legally and had been just dumped as litter. When I made that inquiry, strangely enough, the matter had not been reported to WorkCover but it had been reported to the Chronicle. I was a bit disappointed that a community leader, who is champing at the bit about the important community safety issues concerning the illegal sale and use of fireworks, would take the view that the matter had to be reported to the Chronicle prior to WorkCover being notified.

In fact, WorkCover was not notified by Mr Pratt. I am advised by my office that WorkCover actually sought information about this incident in Amaroo from Mr Pratt's office, and actually recovered the spent fireworks from Mr Pratt's office. I am concerned, too, about the positioning on this issue: whether it is just a political stunt. I think you could argue that last week's little incident, in which this matter was reported to the Chronicle, was a bit of a political stunt, rather than the result of a genuine concern about what is going on out there with the illegal use and sale of fireworks.

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