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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2287 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

What a significant saving that is, Mr Speaker! Currently, a monthly all-zone bus ticket costs $136-because of the unfair and discriminatory nature of the Liberals' zonal bus fare system introduced by that great member for Brindabella, Mr Smyth. It will now cost $80.50, compared to the $136 that Mr Smyth imposed on residents in Brindabella. That is a saving of $56 a month to catch the bus from Tuggeranong to Woden, Belconnen or Civic. That is a significant saving, and one which I think is a real benefit, a real incentive, and a real way of rewarding people who choose to use public transport.

How unfair is the zonal system, Mr Speaker? Melbourne-a city with a population of close to four million people-has no more than five zones, and yet a city with just over 300,000 people has three zones. Who gets penalised the most? The people who live furthest away from the centre of the city! That was the Liberals' approach to public transport. Slug the people who live in the outlying areas the most-to pay for public transport. Mr Speaker, we are going to make sure that public transport is delivered equitably. Whether you live in the centre or in the outlying areas of the city, away from Civic, you get a fair deal on the bus. One fare anywhere in Canberra.

The other very important point to make is that, for those people who travel only one zone, the price increase is only 10 cents per ride. That is not much to ask when you are delivering significant savings and incentives for people in Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin to catch the bus, who get a saving of $56 on their monthly bus tickets. What a great initiative of this government!

Mr Smyth made a couple of other points. First of all, he said, "Isn't this outrageous? We're spending all this money on a DNA unit for the Australian Federal Police. We want coppers on the beat-we do not want a DNA unit." I have to ask this question: what does a DNA unit do? A DNA unit catches crooks. It is out there catching crooks-identifying offenders and bringing them before the courts. If Mr Smyth thinks that is bad use of public money, I am pleased that he has put it on the record.

The other point I want to make is about committing more field staff in Brindabella parks and reserves. Mr Smyth says, "No more rangers." This government has injected-my colleague Mr Wood has implemented this very important issue-$1.5 million extra for nature park conservation activities in the ACT. That is $1.5 million more than Mr Smyth was able to achieve in all the time he was environment minister. He had only six years to do it-the Liberals had only six years to do it.

Mr Smyth: No. I did not have six years.

MR CORBELL: You had only three years-okay. The Liberals had only six years, and you had only three years.

Mr Smyth: Environment went up every year.

MR CORBELL: Did you deliver that sort of increase for environment protection in the ACT? No, you did not, but this government has. This government is delivering $1.5 million more.

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