Page 3287 - Week 11 - Thursday, 22 September 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Whilst I welcome the Chief Minister's statement that she will be looking into the possibility of making sure that the administration and the running of Canberra Airport will be in hands other than those of the Federal Airports Corporation, I stress that governments ought to be very careful before they get into buying airports, especially seeing that it is more than likely that other airports around the country will not be owned by governments; they will either be in a joint venture situation or be owned by the private sector. It would be very difficult, therefore, for any such government owned enterprise to compete.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
CONSERVATION, HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT -
STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on Smoke-free Areas (Enclosed Public Places) Bill 1993 -
Government Response
Debate resumed from 16 June 1994, on motion by Mr Connolly:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
MR BERRY (Manager of Government Business)(10.58): I note that Mr Moore is not in the chamber to speak on this matter. What has occurred in this Assembly is now largely history, but I think it is still important that we draw attention to the issues which surround this Clearing the Air report by the Standing Committee on Conservation, Heritage and Environment. I note that Ms Ellis had the good judgment to present a report which dissents from the majority report of the committee, and for very good reasons, because the committee came up with a couple of recommendations that have been identified by Mr Connolly in his tabling statement. Those two recommendations relate to the adoption of a mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning standard as a standard for acceptable air quality in premises where smoking can occur, and the extension of the smoke-free requirement to all remaining enclosed public places within 30 months of gazettal of the legislation.
I heard Mr Moore saying on the radio this morning that the Government had not done anything in relation to licensed premises, pubs and clubs. Mr Moore misleads the community when he says that. The Government has done a lot. It has introduced its code of practice under the occupational health and safety legislation and, as has always been said by the Government, we intend to take the community with us. It was important that we use the consultative arrangements, of which members would be aware, to ensure that all involved in the industry have a role to play in bringing cleaner air to the people of the ACT who use those establishments. This all began with a commitment to the people of the ACT by Labor at the last election that we would provide smoke-free public places. We delivered on that promise, with the introduction and the carriage of the legislation, save for the blemish which was created by the actions of the Liberals - - -
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .