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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Wednesday, 25 August 2004) . . Page.. 4268 ..

Adjournment

Motion (by Mr Wood) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

Mobile library service

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) (12.44 am): Mr Speaker, earlier in the week I launched the Library service’s new mobile library, and a wonderful thing it is. This remarkable vehicle will provide services pretty much to all the nursing homes and retirement villages in this town. We expect that a little larger vehicle will be in operation in perhaps November or December.

This great looking vehicle has been coated with a graffiti-resistant “skin” and it carries some things that I do not understand. It has a Telstra CDMA communication card by Maxom to turn the mobile library laptops into a connected mobile office suite. I have got a very limited understanding of what that—

Mrs Dunne: I think that is wireless Internet connection.

MR WOOD: It has got fast wireless access to the Internet from anywhere in Canberra; an in-built antenna, so there is no need for cables or satellite dishes; Internet access to library information and catalogue systems; and efficient access to email, library applications and services away from library buildings or home. It can make and receive voice calls and send and receive SMS messages, and it has its own mobile phone number and account. Also, it leaves the library operator’s mobile phone free to make and receive voice calls and SMS text messages. The library Internet site will be easily available to the public.

The vehicle has a back-up generator. A waterproof reversing camera enables the driver can see behind the vehicle, and that is a pretty good idea. It has, very necessarily, a remotely operated push-button electric wheelchair lift to enable people to get in and out. So, all in all, it is a marvellous asset to some of the older generation in this town.

I should make the point that ACT public library staff have 500 house-bound customers and material is delivered by 100 volunteers and also by way of the mobile library. So it is a very fine service. People can ring up, order material and it will be delivered to them by those 100 volunteers. I hope that one day the mobile library vehicle will pull up outside the Assembly so that members can have a look at it.

Media coverage of elections

MR HARGREAVES (12.47 am): Mr Speaker, I rise tonight to express my hope that the media coverage of the forthcoming ACT and federal elections will be fair and balanced. It may be a forlorn hope.

Mr Stanhope: Dream on, mate.

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