Page 2226 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2016
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MR COE: Minister, has the government taken any action over the past year or so to remove any illegally built mountain bike trails, to make them safer or to deter people from acting in an unsafe way?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Coe for his supplementary. Yes, we have, Madam Speaker. In fact, I have attended several areas across the territory that are being used inappropriately for bike riding, both mountain bikes and motor cycles. My rangers have been out there excavating the areas that were previously used for jumps, for example, and filling in areas where erosion had occurred because of unsuitable motor bike and mountain bike use. So yes, actions have been on the ground. It is quite a costly exercise, in fact, in some areas, particularly in the Pierces Creek area where you see watercourses diverted because of those actions.
We do want to provide a safe area for these people to recreate in and also one that is suitable for the environment.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, should people want to establish mountain bike trails in a legal and safe way, what is the process for doing such?
MR GENTLEMAN: It is a very good question. The process would be to present themselves through their sporting organisation, which is what generally occurs, to EPD to ensure that they can use the most accessible areas and the most suitable areas for mountain biking in the territory. We have set aside quite a few mountain bike areas and they have been very successful: Stromlo; Isaacs, for example, is a new one; the new Majura Park mountain bike area is also very successful; and Sparrow Hill where a number of bike paths have been set aside. The operation of those clubs and those entities with the ACT government has been fluid and there continues to be consultation with a view to ensuring we have the safest and most appropriate use of those areas.
MADAM SPEAKER: Before I call the next member, Ì refer members to House of Representatives Practice, page 550, which is the practice we follow:
A Minister may refuse to answer a question. He or she may also transfer a question to another Minister and it is not in order to question the reason for doing so. If a question has been addressed to the incorrect Minister, the responsible Minister may answer, but if necessary the Member can be given an opportunity to redirect it. In many instances the responsibilities referred to in a question may be shared by two or more Ministers and it is only the Ministers concerned who are in a position to determine authoritatively which of them is more responsible.
Land—block 24, city
MR COE: The question is to the Chief Minister. What deal has been struck with Aquis regarding the block adjacent to Glebe Park, that is, city block 24, section 65?
MR BARR: None that I am aware of.
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