Page 1224 - Week 03 - Thursday, 31 March 2011
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consultation will allow us to improve recycling by the commercial sector and build still further on the ACT’s nation-leading recycling rates.
I thank Ms Hunter for bringing this MPI forward. As a former minister responsible for waste management in the territory, it used to give me a lot of grief to know that the domestic sector was leading the way in the ACT and the commercial sector was dragging the chain. We had significant innovation and inroads by the construction industry—the recycling and the re-use of bricks and metal products. So we had a commitment in terms of recycling demolition waste. We had the most incredible commitment by the people in the community around recycling.
But I could not get the commercial sector, for the life of me, to actually embrace recycling of what it was not re-using. Even though we have people like Ricoh, out in Fyshwick, who do 100 per cent recycling, I could not get the business sector to understand that their practices were costing them money. At worst, it would be cost neutral to them to recycle and, at best, they could actually make money on it. But I could not get it through to them. We had awards and we had programs. Now the government is in fact putting a lot more energy into it and a lot more attention into it by trying to convert these people into a recycling mindset.
Again I thank Ms Hunter very much for bringing this matter of public importance forward. On its face, you look it and you think, “Oh, yes.” It is not an “oh, yes”. It is a really important subject, and I thank her again.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): The discussion is concluded.
Adjournment
Motion by Mr Stanhope proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Roads—parking
MR COE (Ginninderra) (4.11): Last Monday, 28 March, I hosted a public meeting at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Jamison, about parking and traffic issues in and around the Jamison group centre. I called for the meeting because of the overwhelming feedback my office received about issues with the current traffic and parking arrangements and some concern about changes to the centre if a proposed development at blocks 9, 43 and 44, section 50, Macquarie was to be approved.
The meeting was attended by approximately 225 people, with many being concerned about the lack of action taken with the existing problems and the poor consultation regarding the future use of blocks 9, 43 and 44. Whilst attendees were broadly of the view that the existing Jamison Inn site is an eyesore and that redevelopment would be welcome, it has to be of an appropriate scale and not add to the traffic and parking problems which are currently present. Attendees expressed concern about the poor communication the ACT government has had with nearby residents, traders and other users of the centre.
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