Page 4783 - Week 15 - Thursday, 8 December 1994
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CITIZENS-INITIATED REFERENDA LEGISLATION
Statement by Member
MR STEVENSON, by leave: Mr Deputy Speaker, yesterday, the Assembly voted to adjourn the Electors Initiative and Referendum Bill and the Community Referendum Bill, instead of allowing debate to proceed and the Bills to be voted on. Mr Moore mentioned that he was adjourning the matter until next year. The point should be made that the Assembly does not have the power to adjourn any matter until next year. At the end of this term of parliament, anything not voted on dies. These two Bills will die a thousand deaths. We all know the real reason; but the public should know that the Labor members, Ms Szuty and Mr Moore do not want to be seen to be voting against citizens-initiated referendums. With an election coming up, who can blame them? The public have the right to know the truth about who blocked one of the most historic possibilities for this Assembly to produce something for the first time in Australia.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS - PRECEDENCE
Motion (by Mr Berry) agreed to:
That, pursuant to standing order 77(d), Executive business be called on.
FIRE BRIGADE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1994
Debate resumed from 1 December 1994, on motion by Mr Lamont:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR HUMPHRIES (11.26): Mr Deputy Speaker, the Opposition supports this Bill. It is appropriate that it was introduced on the first day of summer, when we are approaching the fire season. It is important that we acknowledge that more needs to be done to protect the citizens of the Territory from the devastating effects of bushfire, which we saw last summer. This Bill, most importantly, gives to the Fire Brigade the power to enter premises and remove or direct the removal of flammable material which may be on those premises. Members will recall that there were problems particularly in the suburb of Curtin last year, with fires from the hilltops between Curtin and Weston Creek threatening homes in that area of Canberra. I am told that the problem was exacerbated by a number of premises having material heaped up against fences that backed onto nature strips and reserves. The danger of fire affecting those fences and then sweeping into urban areas and perhaps affecting the houses was very real. At the moment, there is not the capacity for the brigade to direct people to remove that sort of flammable material, and it is our view that the power ought to be created for that to happen.
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