Page 1005 - Week 03 - Thursday, 3 April 2008
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Last year, Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Uganda on the edge of Lake Victoria and agreed to an Action Plan for tackling climate change.
It went on to say:
The example of the Nile illustrates many of the challenges facing the global environment as a whole which cannot alone sustain our lives as once it did. The competition for fresh water by a growing population is itself becoming a source of potential conflict. Our own attitudes to the environment and the use we put it to may have consequences for people on every continent and for every ocean and sea.
I think you would agree that, whatever our beliefs are and whatever our value system, there are many things on which we can agree. We are now experiencing the greatest challenge to all life forms through climate change that we have ever experienced. I think we can all agree that we carry joint responsibility for working to ensure the health of our planet. Her Majesty ended with this comment:
In the Commonwealth, governments, businesses, communities and individuals should each strive to match words and good intentions with deeds. Every contribution has its part to play. Whatever we do, wherever we live, our actions in defence of the environment can have a real and positive effect upon the lives of others, today and into the future.
I would like to thank everyone who put the celebration together, including Reverend Professor James Haire AM, Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, the senior representatives of all the different faiths that I mentioned before—though I am not quite sure that anybody was particularly listening—and those who performed their music, song and dance for us. It was a very pleasant day and I am very grateful to those people who put on the celebration and invited us to come. I was there, I forgot to say, representing the Chief Minister.
Justice and community safety legislation
Ukraine
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra) (6.05): I wish to raise two things tonight. Firstly, I note that one bill was speeded through today. A couple of matters collapsed and, as I was on my way back from a medical appointment, I was unable to move an amendment. I want to speak briefly to that amendment to the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2007 (No 2). It is pretty rare that you get amendments. This one was a jury matter in relation to people who suffer an impairment of being deaf or blind —
MR SPEAKER: Without reflecting on a vote, of course.
MR STEFANIAK: Without reflecting, yes, although there was not a vote in the end, actually, Mr Speaker, but I am not going to go into that.
MR SPEAKER: There was; the legislation was passed.
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