Page 5005 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 26 October 2010

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Amendment negatived.

MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.47), by leave: I move amendments Nos 17 and 18 circulated in my name together [see schedule 2 at page 5091].

The first of these amendments seeks to omit “must try to” and substitute “must, to the greatest extent practicable”. I will not repeat my pop culture references there. The second of these amendments relates to the composition of members of the council and seeks to change “the environment” to “climate change”. I think this reflects more accurately the topic matter the council will be discussing and provides a clearer focus in the membership the council would ideally be composed of.

MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (11.47): I understand that the amendments will be passed so I have not moved to split them. I have no problem with amendment No 17 as a fix. However, I do not support amendment No 18. Having someone from the community in relation to the environment is quite reasonable. Climate change science is represented separately. Instead of narrowing the point, it broadens the point and says that those who have concerns about the environment have something to say. Indeed they will be looking, as everyone does, at the impact of climate change on the environment. We believe that the current wording is sufficient and, in fact, it is better than what the Greens are proposing. I understand that the amendments will be passed so I will not move to split them. I will just put that on the record.

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Minister for Energy and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (11.49): The government will be supporting both of these amendments. It is a moot point, I think, in many respects, as to the interests of climate change or the environment. The fact is that climate change science and climate change as a subject are so broad that I think the issues that Mr Seselja is appropriately concerned about, and indeed the government is concerned about, are properly encompassed by this change. The government will support the amendments.

Amendments agreed to.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 8 at page 5095].

This change simply provides a change of language. It provides for a person to represent disadvantaged groups in the community in the context of the climate change council. I think it is important, given previous discussions during the in-detail stage

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