Page 2704 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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excellent training for ACT road users. At present they train heavy-vehicle users and offer advanced driving courses. They provide motorcycle training infrastructure and other driver education support facilities. TISC has advised it supports a reward system and would be happy to tailor further education courses by accredited trainers in the industry.
The Motorcycle Riders Association clearly provide road craft courses both for new riders and some of us a little older. I will refer directly to the Stay Upright course that I attended after some 20 years of riding. I was completely surprised at the knowledge and skills I obtained at that course after riding for, as I said, over 20 years. I am confident that that course has saved my life at least once.
My motion calls on the ACT government to reward road users with extra points for the completion of further driver/rider education. I propose the awarding of two additional points for the successful completion of an accredited vehicle control and road craft awareness course, and a further two points for a second educational course that could involve vehicle control, road craft awareness, first aid and any other relative module.
Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I encourage members to support this motion and call on the ACT government again to lead the nation.
Motion agreed to.
Animal Welfare Amendment Bill 2007
Debate resumed from 2 May 2007, on motion by Dr Foskey:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (2.48): The Canberra Liberals support the banning of cage egg production not just in the ACT, as is the proposition of the Greens, but also nationally. There are more considerations to this issue than an ideologically driven immediate ban, and particularly the hypocrisy of the Chief Minister in his approach towards business development in the ACT that has come out of this, but we will get to that later.
With respect to this bill, we agree with the Chief Minister’s approach as set out in his press release from yesterday. There is an assistance package of $1 million. We are seeking a national approach to phasing out battery farming and requiring ACT government agencies to source eggs from barn facilities.
Ultimately we need a national approach to abolishing cage egg production. A ban in the ACT will not save a single hen from the battery cage, nor will it result in the reduction in the sale of a single cage egg. I am disappointed, I have to say, in the government’s response to the bill proposed by the Greens. All we have is words; very laudable words, but words nevertheless.
Where is the detail on the government’s proposition? How will the industry assistance package of $1 million be spent? Indeed, how was $1 million calculated as the magic
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