Page 316 - Week 01 - Thursday, 29 November 2012
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Civil Law (Wrongs) Act—
Pursuant to section 205—General reporting requirements of insurers.
Pursuant to subsection 4.56(3), Schedule 4—Professional Standards Councils—Annual Report 2011-2012.
Ms Burch presented the following papers:
Cultural Facilities Corporation Act, pursuant to subsection 15(2)—Cultural Facilities Corporation—Quarterly report 2012-2013—First quarter (1 July to 30 September 2012).
Gaming Machine Act, pursuant to section 168—Community contributions made by gaming machine licensees—Report by the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission—1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, dated 23 October 2012.
Lakes and waterways
Discussion of matter of public importance
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Doszpot): Madam Speaker has received letters from Ms Berry, Dr Bourke, Mr Coe, Mr Doszpot, Mr Gentleman, Mr Hanson, Ms Porter, Mr Seselja and Mr Smyth proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, Madam Speaker has determined that the matter proposed by Ms Berry be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The importance of healthy lakes and waterways to the future of the ACT.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra) (4.05): The Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment’s recent investigation into the state of watercourses and catchments for Lake Burley Griffin and the ACT state of the environment report set out the links between Lake Burley Griffin’s intended role as a sediment and pollutant trap and the outbreaks of significant algal blooms.
The commissioner found that the key water quality issues are low dissolved oxygen levels caused by decomposition of organic matter in urban stormwater flowing into the lake; blue-green algae blooms caused by the release of phosphorous from sediments when dissolved oxygen is low with a poor mixing of the water column, especially during dry periods; and the loss of submerged and fringing water plants caused by increasingly turbid lake water, which contributes to low dissolved oxygen levels.
The commissioner found that the main sources of pollution in the lake were urban run-off, wildlife, regrowth of bacteria already in the lake, and possible leakages from sewer pipes.
Lake Burley Griffin was designed and constructed to provide a central symbolic element to the national capital, to provide for aquatic recreational activities, to ensure
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