Page 2159 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 28 August 2007
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wondering how successful the project of broadcasting question time on 2XX or over the internet is. It is important that people should have access to those things, but one would also like to know how well they were taken up.
I believe one of things that is lacking in our Assembly is research capacity for committees. It is clear that our committee staff is stretched to the limit, that committees would probably undertake a lot more inquiries if they felt that it was not pushing staff over that limit, and if a lot of research could be done. Mr Seselja referred to it in relation to the ACTION bus inquiry. It would have been very good to have gone to the very voluminous amount of work that has been done in other communities, and indeed in this community, where there has been report after report into light rail, public transport and so on in general. But they are probably not reflected in that report which I have not had a chance to read yet.
On behalf of the media, I point out the inadequacy of the facilities that they have here. The ABC and radio fares particularly poorly from the media facilities they are offered. When the Canberra Times shuts its door, the ABC journalists are in a little box. Given the importance of the media to everyone in this place, including the government, I think we sell them rather poorly. If we want to lift the quality of the media coverage in this place we could make sure that we have happy journalists. For instance, separate sound-proofed adjoining offices would obviously be preferable. I put on the record that I have not consulted the journalists in making these comments, but over the years I have heard what they have to say.
I am going to talk about the issue of security. I have always felt that we have overkill in the security in the Assembly. We spend an awful lot of money on it and it has been quite inconvenient at various times. While I understand that we need to cater for that absolutely unthought of, unhoped for event, I believe there is clear overprotection of attendants or are we protecting the world from the attendants? I am not sure about those glass walls, which make it very difficult for them to communicate with staff, members and visitors. Also, there is no proper waiting area outside the security barrier. I am not sure what the public thinks of our new arrangements. It would be good to ask the public and certainly to seek the attendants’ concern about that. I have been to a number of parliaments that are probably subject to the same concerns, but they do not have the same sorts of restrictions. Also confused is the value of an electric pass system. It slows down the after-hours exit from the members’ entrance. (Second speaking period taken.)
It can even prevent such exits, when from the other side you simply exit by pressing a button. I also commend the implication that some safe places to store bikes are being developed and installed. That is something the Greens have been asking for for a number of years. I notice already quite a few bike riders are coming to the Assembly and there possibly would be more if they felt their bikes were safe here. I commend the art program. I think that we have an excellent art collection now and I really appreciate the support of the people on the LAG committee and our curator, Jenny McFarlane. While we all know what we like, we do not all have the background knowledge that she is able to give us.
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