Page 891 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 March 2016
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(vi) the adequacy of the ACT legislative and regulatory frameworks in respect of loose-fill asbestos;
(vii) the plans put in place to monitor and manage future health impacts of exposure to loose-fill asbestos;
(viii) the plans put in place to manage impacts on third parties exposed to loose-fill asbestos (eg tradespeople, home services personnel etc); and
(ix) any other matter related to or reasonably incidental to the above.
I must say that I am a little disappointed to be back here speaking about this issue again because I genuinely believed that by this point we would have an inquiry well underway. My reason for that is there was an inquiry that was chaired by Mr Smyth which comprised two Liberal members and two Labor members that looked into the issue of Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos. That committee tabled its recommendation quite some time ago. We are all aware of this committee. I will read from the report:
The Committee recommends that an ACT Board of Inquiry be constituted, pursuant to the Inquiries Act, to investigate the full history of the Mr Fluffy legacy. The Board of Inquiry should report by 1 March 2016.
Quite clearly, that has not happened. That was an inquiry, as I said, that had two Labor members—Ms Berry, who is now a minister, and Ms Porter—who voted for that. That statement I just read out was one that Ms Berry supported and it was one that Ms Porter supported. But it has not eventuated. That is most disappointing. There have been mixed messages coming from this government about the issue of an inquiry.
On 6 November 2015, a newsletter from the ACT government Asbestos Response Taskforce website, talking about the board of inquiry, says:
Chief Minister Andrew Barr reconfirmed in the Assembly last week that the ACT Government is committed to investigating the full history of the Mr Fluffy inquiry.
The ABC News in July 2015, under the heading “New inquiry expected on loose-fill asbestos”, says:
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has confirmed he will create an inquiry to consider the handling of the issue, on the day the full Mr Fluffy address list was publicly released.
That was some time ago. “I will make announcements on that board of inquiry when the government is ready.” In answers to questions on notice and without notice in question time in September last year, Mr Barr said:
I never disagreed with the need to establish a board of inquiry…A board of inquiry remains important…
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