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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Tuesday, 22 June 2004) . . Page.. 2378 ..

amendment—it was meant to be much more broad ranging in terms of hazard and other preparations. I also take the minister’s point that we might look at doing something about that somewhere down the track. In fact, we will. I will clean that up and we will come back on that issue.

Proposed new clause 75A negatived.

Clauses 76 to 78, by leave, taken together and agreed to.

Clause 79.

MR PRATT (9.18): Mr Speaker, I move amendment No 17 circulated in my name [see schedule 2 at page 2441]. This matter has probably been referred to earlier. The strategic preventative measure of the fire authorities looking at assisting, advising and helping land managers and landowners is a really beaut thing. It is so beaut that it should be legislated.

Again, it is not always possible for the authority and the services to render assistance. Time and resources will not allow this to happen and some requests simply will not be able to be met. I know the attitude of the services—instinctively they like to get out there and do these things. But I think the principle of carrying out preventative planning needs to be identified clearly in the legislation.

MR WOOD (Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, and Minister for Arts and Heritage) (9.19): Mr Speaker, as we indicated earlier, the government will be opposing this amendment. But we agree with the sentiment, as we did before, that all of the services should assist land managers where possible.

However, I think there is an unintended consequence in what Mr Pratt has suggested. Including this requirement in statute effectively transfers to the rural fire service responsibility for the preparation for bushfire operational plans. It is essential that landowners and managers recognise and manage their responsibility in reducing hazards. That said, of course the rural fire service, and anybody else appropriate, will assist wherever they can. So, although we appreciate the motive behind the amendment, we cannot support it.

Amendment negatived.

Clause 79 agreed to.

Clauses 80 to 128, by leave, taken together and agreed to.

Clause 129.

MR WOOD (Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, and Minister for Arts and Heritage) (9.21): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 2441].

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