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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1419 ..

MR CORBELL (4.41): I seek leave to move together the amendments circulated in my name and to amend my proposed paragraph (5) by omitting the words "containing organochlorines, dioxins and cyanides".

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: I move:

(1) Omit paragraph (5), substitute the following new paragraph:

"(5) placement of a moratorium on the incineration of pesticides and agricultural chemicals until a report on the appropriateness of such incineration prepared by the ACT Commissioner for the Environment has been responded to by the Government;".

(2) Add the following new paragraph:

"(9) request the Commissioner for the Environment to undertake a report on the appropriateness and safety of the incineration of pesticides and agricultural chemicals at the Mitchell Totalcare facility and request the Commissioner to report to government by the end of September 1997.".

Madam Deputy Speaker, the issue of the incineration of products at the Totalcare incinerator is one which has been about in the community prior to this most recent debate, as Mr Osborne pointed out in his speech today. The concern has been out there for some time, from residents of both Gungahlin and the Inner North, about what is burnt at Mitchell and what impact, if any, that has on human beings' health and the environment. I know for a fact, for instance, that there has been concern from employees at the Australian Archives about product that has appeared to come out of the stack at Mitchell and land in the car park of the Australian Archives building next-door. But I agree with the Minister that it is an issue that must be dealt with sensibly and certainly not in a way which will unnecessarily scare or worry residents in the area or, indeed, all residents of Canberra. But, that aside, I believe that it is important that there be some further investigation and better understanding of what happens at the Totalcare incinerator at Mitchell.

I commend Mr Osborne for moving this motion. It is an issue which I have been following closely and about which I have participated in some meetings with staff of Mr Osborne's and with Ms Horodny herself. We feel that it is appropriate that this sort of motion be supported today. The Labor Party will be supporting Mr Osborne's motion; but I have also moved some amendments. The purpose of my amendments, Madam Deputy Speaker, is to deal with the issue of the moratorium proposed by Mr Osborne by including agricultural chemicals in that moratorium and placing an end point on that moratorium. The end point would be when a report prepared by the ACT Commissioner for the Environment has been presented to and responded to by the Government.

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