Page 4292 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 27 November 2013
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Roads—Christmas light displays
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. I refer to a media release dated today from your department titled “Considerations for Christmas light displays”. It states:
Traffic management costs associated with Christmas light displays will generally be absorbed by Roads ACT, however, if costs exceed $2,000 Roads ACT may seek to recover part, or all, of the amount from the event organiser.
If a Canberra household decorates their home with Christmas lights, how many cars must pass the front door before the government charges $2,000 or more road tax?
MR RATTENBURY: Let us start with what the government’s approach is generally, and that is that the government believes that Christmas lights displays can be a great way for Canberrans to celebrate Christmas and boost community spirit. I think it is important to put that on the table before some other frame is attempted to be put on it. That said, there are—
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, members! This is a burning issue; everyone wants to be enlightened by it.
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Bad joke.
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! No more dad jokes from the Speaker.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Sorry; we are actually biting into Mr Rattenbury’s time.
MR RATTENBURY: The government faces some serious questions around Christmas light displays. In most cases the traffic issues involved with Christmas light displays do not need any involvement from the government. But there are some events that become so large that they present issues with regard to traffic, parking and general safety implications. One can imagine the situation of a narrow suburban street in which many cars are turning up each night, there are excited young children running around between the cars and in some cases there are neighbours who do not appreciate the traffic inflow into their street.
The government has to try and balance all of these considerations. In order to try and facilitate that, Roads ACT has developed a set of guidelines to assist householders with these circumstances. Roads ACT does not go out; it is simply that in the case
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