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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (8 April) . . Page.. 673 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

I have already spoken in detail about why we think tourism development must be ecologically sustainable, so I do not believe it is necessary to elaborate in great detail about this amendment. I will say, however, that it is very easy to put the words into legislation, but putting these principles into practice is a quite different matter. It requires a real commitment to make the environmental issues central to planning of any events or activities that are held in the ACT. It is not just a matter of words that can be used in an annual report.

Amendment agreed to.

MS TUCKER (12.12): I move:

Page 2, line 26, after paragraph (f) insert the following paragraph:

"(fa) to advise the tourist and travel industry on reducing the environmental impact of tourism related activities;".

This amendment adds to clause 5 an additional function. I have outlined in some detail that, while I think this is a very important function that should be central to a tourism corporation operating in the 1990s, once again, this should not be a token effort. The range of activities this function would involve should be quite broad, ranging from providing information to businesses involved in the tourism industry - how to cut energy waste and water consumption, maybe in collaboration with ACTEW, advice on implementing other environment management programs - to assessing and accrediting tourism operators with a proven record on environmental sustainability. Education and training is a very important part of improving environmental performances.

MR KAINE (Minister for Urban Services and Minister for Tourism) (12.14): The Government has considered the amendments put forward by Ms Tucker and we have agreed that there is a need to inform the Assembly if the corporation enters into a partnership or a joint venture. We do have difficulty, however, with the notion of informing the Assembly every time we do that within 15 sitting days. The reason for that is the point made by Mr Corbell earlier - - -

Ms Tucker: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Is Mr Kaine speaking to my second amendment?

MR KAINE: I am speaking to your amendment to clause 7.

MR SPEAKER: No; we are only on the second amendment to clause 5.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 6 agreed to.

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