Page 265 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 7 March 2007

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I would have liked to hear more from Mr Jon Stanhope as the minister for economic development. After all, he plays a major role in supporting sustainability industries. I did not hear Mr Stanhope speak in that way, and that concerns me, because it makes me wonder what exactly is happening in these areas. If we go by that speech, I suspect it is not a lot, and that is a worry to us all.

Mr Stanhope mentioned ACTPLA, and it was mentioned at greater length by Mr Corbell. I believe that ACTPLA is committed to change—I have seen a lot of change in the 2½ years I have been here—but I think it is relying too much on voluntary measures and on guidelines rather than regulations. It is not offering enough carrots or using enough sticks. And, of course, the development industry in this town does seem to have quite a lot of sway. Every time they say, “Too much, too expensive,” the government seems to bow down.

I am always pleased to hear Simon Corbell talking about transport. It is one of the things that I believe he does have a passion for and an understanding of. I wish that he were still the minister responsible for ACTION. It seems rather bizarre to me that the person who is responsible for transport is not responsible for ACTION—given that that is our major alternative to the car in this town. Every trip made in a bus, on foot, on a bike or in a full car is a contribution. That is the message that needs to get out there, not the all-or-nothing that denialists accuse the Greens of. Every time a car is left at home, we have made a contribution to reducing greenhouse gases. The government’s role is to make it easier for journeys not to be taken in a car.

Seventy per cent by 2026? We were well on the way—we were probably exceeding it—before the Costello report. But we all know what happened. I have not heard today whether it is the Costello report that has been responsible for the delay in the release of this strategy. We do know that there was a gutting of the Office of Sustainability, which I believe had charge of this process.

I do think that the Liberals need to acknowledge the federal coalition government’s role in diminishing the advance of our solar and other renewable energy industries, and sending them overseas. We cannot blame the ACT government alone for that. We know that the reduction in the renewable mandatory energy targets was a great disincentive.

Question put:

That Mr Hargreaves’s amendments, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

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