Page 2108 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 2 August 2016
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MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Hinder.
MR HINDER: Minister, can you inform the Assembly of the public awareness campaign and research projects that will also be undertaken?
MR CORBELL: As part of the basin priority project, we will be continuing to engage as a government in public education and research. It is important that residents are aware that individually our own actions can contribute to poor water quality in our creeks, waterways and lakes. As part of this work, the government has already conducted a survey of over 4,500 people. It was undertaken by the University of Canberra on behalf of the Environment and Planning Directorate.
That survey gave us a much better understanding of people’s perceptions about and views on water quality in our city. It also found that people had different perceptions about the causes of water quality. For example, only 38 per cent of respondents in that survey considered leaf litter and grass clippings entering the stormwater system to be a water quality issue. However, we know that our scientists consider this to be one of the key causes of the problem when it comes to high nutrient load in our creeks and lakes.
By identifying that discrepancy between community perception and what the scientific evidence is telling us, we will need to focus on campaigns that inform Canberrans of the importance of collecting leaves, keeping leaf and garden material out of the roadside curb and certainly not putting it down the gutter or drain in the street because, of course, that act can lead to an increase in nutrient loads in lakes and waterways.
We will also, as part of the work of the basin priority project, be seeking to improve understanding of treatment options, such as the trial of sediment curtains and bubblers in Lake Tuggeranong, to improve aeration of the lake water body and potentially tackle some of the water quality issues in that way as well. (Time expired.)
Mr Barr: Madam Speaker, I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Supplementary answer to question without notice
Gaming—casino
MR GENTLEMAN: In question time Mrs Jones asked a question of me on the timing of the meeting with the casino proponent. It was on 5 February.
Papers
Madam Speaker presented the following papers:
Auditor-General Act—Auditor-General’s Reports—
No. 5/2016—Initiation of the Light Rail Project, dated 16 June 2016.
No. 6/2016—Management and administration of credit cards by ACT Government entities, dated 24 June 2016.
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