Page 251 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
me correctly, when preparing for the 2001 election we started talking about environmental sustainability with respect to the sustainable transport plan that I and Mr Corbell had something to do with, and that Mr Corbell had carriage of in the first Stanhope Labor government.
That plan has been embraced by this community in relation to our cycle lanes, bikes on buses, lockers at the interchange and our relationship with Pedal Power. We now have hybrid cars available as hire cars and we now have compressed natural gas on the buses. We struggle with ways in which to make the bus system even more attractive for people to get on. It is a challenge and one that we accept. The government is using 23 per cent green power and we have encouraged people in the community to pick up green power. I am using green power at my place, if Dr Foskey wants to do an FOI on me, or on my wife for that matter.
We have seen the introduction of wood heater rebates. We know that Tuggeranong Valley is the second worst place in Australia for wood heater smoke during wintertime, second only to Launceston, and we now have a rebate. Five hundred people have taken us up on that since it has been introduced, which is a pretty good thing. I do not really care who introduced it; I would just like to congratulate the 500 people who took it up. Hopefully more people will take it up.
Quite frankly, I think that these Johnny-come-lately Greens ought to go back and congratulate previous governments in this town—this current Labor government and the previous Labor government—because they have done something. As long as the grass grows, the Greens will never be ever in a position to run a policy. They need either the Liberal Party or the Labor Party to give effect to their policies. Standing in this chamber and screaming at us like a rabid banshee will not do the slightest bit of good.
MR MULCAHY (Molonglo) (11.02): I am a bit overwhelmed after that eloquent address and I will struggle to match it, but I will give it a go.
Mr Barr: Do your best, Richard
MR MULCAHY: I will; thank you, Mr Barr. Dr Foskey’s motion calls on the Assembly to note “the threats of climate change to our environment, economy and society”. In November last year I said in this place that you would have to be living in the dark ages if you were not willing to recognise that currently there are significant climate issues. I believe that debate must focus, however, on genuine attempts and approaches to address the issue of climate change.
Too often people like the Greens are unwilling to adopt a holistic approach to climate change. Yes, it is an issue that obviously has to be confronted but should this confrontation be ahead of the Australian national interest? It seems that the answer is yes when it is the Greens’ philosophy, but it is not a position that I can support and it is not a position that the opposition will support. No-one doubts that change needs to occur globally, but it needs to be change that is in the interests of society, in the interests of people locally, the people of Canberra, and all Australians on a national and international level, and it needs to take into account economic and social factors.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .