Page 2513 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 23 August 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR STEFANIAK: Flynn, and that is very close to the Belconnen tip, Mr Moore. No doubt you use the Ainslie recycling station, but I use the Belconnen tip. That tip has only five or six years of use left, and that is something that needs to be addressed now. It is a very real environmental problem for Canberra. We do have finite tip space. Measures such as those mentioned by Mr Stevenson, which would mean less use of our tip space and jobs for Canberrans, especially young Canberrans, are initiatives worthy of support. My colleague Mrs Carnell has mentioned a number of other initiatives that have run up against a brick wall when they have come up for support.
If we are fair dinkum about assisting business in Canberra and diversifying our economic base - and we have only a limited one - then sensible proposals need the support of bureaucrats. They need the support of governments. Standards have to be adhered to, of course. Mr Stevenson's matter of public importance is very much along the right track, and everyone should do all they can to support especially environmentally friendly and energy saving new business development in Canberra.
MR MOORE (4.43): Madam Speaker, it is interesting to hear members support this matter of public importance Mr Stevenson has put, because it is a motherhood statement. How could you do anything else? In considering these issues, it is very important for us to remember the basis upon which we should deal with environmental issues involved with polluting, and that is the three Rs: Reduce, reuse, recycle.
There is a great temptation for members and for the public to focus on recycling. Recycling does play an important role, but there are two steps we should take before we get to recycling. The Conservation, Heritage and Environment Committee will later this week describe what it is doing in terms of container deposit legislation, when we report to the Assembly on that issue. The reduction of polluting materials is the highest priority we have to deal with. Then we go to reuse, which is the matter Mr Stevenson spoke on in relation to one firm in Canberra and some of the difficulties they have had. Indeed, I understand that that firm has lobbied all members, and it should expect a reasonable approach from government.
Mr Stevenson's matter of public importance also deals with energy saving as part of new business development in Canberra. The issue of insulation in housing is one that I raised in this Assembly, and I proposed legislation to ensure that there is insulation not just in ceilings of houses but also in walls, floors and so on. The Minister's response was, under regulation, to provide for compulsory insulation in areas that were difficult to get to but not in ceilings. I maintain my position that it is appropriate that we insist on insulation in ceilings in new houses. It takes only a particularly cold winter, such as the one we have had this year, to recoup the cost of that insulation. On financial grounds alone, insulation would repay you; but if you are looking at it from the environmental perspective, and that is our highest priority, we can reduce the amount of pollution by ensuring that all new houses, in fact all houses, are insulated.
Mr Stevenson also added to this whole concept of new business development. It is appropriate to pay compliments where they are due, and I think both the Alliance Government and this Labor Government have been responsible for supporting the way Revolve deals with both tips in Canberra. Mr Stefaniak said that I probably go to the Ainslie Transfer Station. I rarely go to the tip; but, having reused a second-hand
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .