Page 4449 - Week 14 - Thursday, 28 November 2013
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waived. He said they are looking through it but that it was never intended as a serious hindrance. If it is meant to be simple, why does it take so many days to put an end to this uncertainty for the family?
But this issue is not a one-off, and it will happen again on another issue and others will be caught up with bureaucratic red tape and humbug. There is a 14-page special events handbook that outlines what exactly constitutes a special event, and we have three categories of them. The categories range from high speed events to marathons, cycling events and right down to marches, parties and parades. I am not sure we have any or many category 1 events—events involving high speed races. Of course, high speed events such as the V8 series were discouraged from being here. We are not allowed speed boats on Lake Burley Griffin, and the Summernats were prevented for years from their street parade down Northbourne Avenue. So very few, if any, category 1 events would even be allowed to be considered.
If your category 3 event—a street party, a parade or perhaps even a street-long garage sale—is deemed a special event, organisers may have to undertake a formal risk assessment, take out public risk insurance cover and pay for some of the management costs of government—traffic control, crowd control, whatever. And this can run into thousands of dollars.
The guidelines advise that organisers must take appropriate steps in setting up their event and will be assessed under three categories: public safety, public convenience and public consultation. Interestingly and ironically, the government requires event organisers—or households if that is who is arranging the so-termed special event—to undertake public consultation before the event or activity is staged. It is a pity they do not take their own advice. Had they done so, we would not see their Chief Minister forced to step in and override the guidelines in respect of sausage sizzles and now the rethink about charging for charity Christmas lights.
But, as far as I am aware, there has not been a rethink yet on the storage for gas bottles at local ovals. That was a decision made some time ago apparently but only enforced recently. It is considered dangerous to have gas bottles stored at ovals. But has anyone stopped to think how many gas bottles will now be rolling around in the boots of cars and station wagons? What happens if someone runs into the back of one of these cars and the bottle explodes as a result? I would have thought a gas bottle stored in a locked facility at a sports oval was a far safer option than one sitting in the boot of a car. And such a situation could be repeated dozens and dozens of times all over Canberra.
But before those on the other side, particularly the minister—if he was here—get up and suggest that I am proposing a reckless, irresponsible approach to anything anyone wants to put on in Canberra, I suggest they consider the old adage, everything in moderation. Surely that is what is required here.
Again, if those on the other side suggest this Christmas lights story is a beat-up and a one-off, let me remind them of recent events that even the Chief Minister thought was a bridge too far. I refer, of course, to the sausage sizzle fiasco. The new regulations introduced on 1 September were harsher than anything introduced in either New
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