Page 2698 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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protect their homes, property and families from fire, should it impact on the urban edge. The community fire units program has proven to be extremely successful. We already have 28 community fire units in operation. The most recent budget funded another 10.
I am pleased to say that not only is the training and the level of interest well progressed from communities and from the fire brigade, but we are also well advanced with the procurement of all the necessary equipment. The procurement plan for new personal protective equipment and firefighting equipment is running to schedule. That equipment has been ordered. The specification and procurement plan for the community fire unit trailers that are located in a range of areas across the suburbs has been completed and their delivery is expected early next year.
I am advised by the fire brigade that all 10 of the new community fire units should be fully in place by the end of January 2008, if not earlier. That is very pleasing news because that will bring to 38 the total number of community fire units across our community. It will provide for an enhanced level of protection, a level of protection that has not existed in Canberra before. Further, it highlights this government’s commitment to making sure that we learn the lessons of 2003, that we are better prepared for the future and that residents get the benefit of not only the protection that community fire units can provide, but the increased sense of community belonging, interaction and communication between neighbours which is just as important when it comes to responding effectively in an emergency. I commend this program to the Assembly. I thank Ms Porter for her ongoing interest.
Mr Stanhope: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answer to question without notice
Roads—speed and red light cameras
MR HARGREAVES: I just wanted to correct something that I said earlier on. I mentioned in answer to one of the questions that I was at a meeting last night where I was talking about a range of issues, and speed cameras came up. That meeting actually occurred on Monday night and not last night. It was, in fact, with a group of people from various backgrounds and interests, and it covered quite a range of issues.
Mr Speaker, I would also like to expand on my response to Mr Smyth. He asked me to table a document, which I did, but I would also like to table another spreadsheet, which gives the statistics regarding of infringements issued from fixed and mobile speed cameras for the 12 months ended 13 September 2007. I indicate to the house that, for example, the worst statistics from a fixed red light speed camera are at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Antill Street going south. The number of infringements that were issued in that 12 months was 9,364. We are hopeful that the presence of the fixed speed camera further up the Federal Highway will actually slow that southbound traffic.
Papers
Mr Speaker presented the following paper:
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