Page 4424 - Week 14 - Thursday, 28 November 2013
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increasingly requiring high levels of maintenance. I imagine that the parts become more difficult to obtain over time as is the nature of old cars, which most of us are probably more familiar with. So in that sense I have that expectation. That is certainly the advice I have from ACTION.
At the other end of the spectrum, the new buses are more detailed. In being more modern, there are new features. There are new requirements on them. So there is a greater level of complexity in some other areas that will offset some of those maintenance savings. I am not sure what the smirk is for, but I am sure I will find out in a second.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: On an unrelated supplementary, minister, how can the buses use more fuel but produce fewer emissions as per the ACTION spokesperson’s comments in the Canberra Times on 28 November?
MR RATTENBURY: There are a number of components to that answer. “Emissions” refers to two things. There are greenhouse emissions and there are particulate emissions. What I can say is that the particulate emissions are reduced by 80 to 90 per cent with the new buses, and that is a particular feature of the Euro 6 standards. When it comes to greenhouse emissions, there is a negligible difference. The new engines are, I understand, slightly more efficient, but the buses are heavier because of some of the additional components, so that has an impact on fuel. I am advised by ACTION, and I did check this very carefully before signing off on this purchase, that any difference will be very minor, largely inconsequential.
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 entitled: “Traffic management plans finalised for large-scale Christmas light displays”. It states that traffic management costs for both displays for charities will be met. In today's Canberra Times it was reported that the Christmas lights world record-holder in Forrest may be facing a bill of thousands of dollars payable to the territory government. Why did it take a question from me in this place and subsequent publicity for the government to realise that charging community fundraisers fees for traffic management was a bad idea?
MR RATTENBURY: The heartbreaking news I have for Mr Doszpot is: it is not all about him. As I explained with some care in this place yesterday, the government has developed a set of guidelines that have actually been in place for a number of years. They set out how this will work. The government is seeking to work with residents of Canberra to facilitate the conduct of Christmas light displays. As I said yesterday, the government welcomes the festive spirit it comes from.
It was interesting to see the way the report ran in the Canberra Times today—the shock, horror on the front page about the fact we were still negotiating with the residents in Forrest and then buried right at the end of the article on the second page
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