Page 5067 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 November 2017
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(5) Yes.
Environment—balloons
(Question No 806)
Ms Le Couteur asked the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, upon notice, on 27 October 2017 (redirected to the Minister for Regulatory Services):
(1) In relation to balloons and their regulation under the Environmental Protection Regulation 2005, division 2.6, has there been any enforcement of clause 16 of the Regulation, being the offence for the release of 20 or more balloons.
(2) How many complaints have been made of offences under clause 16.
(3) How many fines have been issued under clause 16.
(4) What education programs or campaigns has the ACT Government undertaken to inform Canberra residents of their rights, obligations and responsibilities in relation to balloons.
(5) Are there restrictions on organisations who give out pre-inflated balloons to members of the public who then, in turn, might release those balloons but not be in contravention of clause 16.
(6) Does information regarding the offence currently need to be displayed at the point of sale of balloons in the ACT.
(7) Has the Government revisited this regulation since it was drafted; if so, what was the outcome of the review.
(8) What is the environmental impact of the release of balloons.
Mr Ramsay: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has not undertaken any compliance action.
(2) No complaints have been received by the EPA.
(3) No fines have been issued under Clause 16.
(4) No education programs or campaigns have been undertaken in relation to balloons.
(5) No, as the balloons are not intended for release and are not released by one person.
(6) No.
(7) The Environment Protection Act 1997 and associated regulations has been reviewed twice since the commencement of the Act in 1998; once in 2003 and again in 2014. There were no submissions in relation to the regulations governing balloons.
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