Page 3321 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
commitment to FOI objectives across government—a whole-of-government standard, as it were. We expect all agencies to perform at a uniform standard in administering financial integrity laws, and we can equally expect consistency in the administration of democratic integrity laws.
Today, the Canberra Liberals are taking a stand. This is the first of our stands in relation to the Freedom of Information Act. We will be ensuring integrity, openness and access to free speech and information in this territory, and it is time that the Stanhope government got on board. I commend the bill to the house.
Debate (on motion by Mr Corbell), adjourned to the next sitting.
Electricity Feed-in (Solar Premium) Bill 2007—exposure draft
Paper and statement by member
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella) (10.53): I seek leave to table an exposure draft of the Electricity Feed-in (Solar Premium) Bill 2007 and make a statement in relation to the paper.
Leave granted.
MR GENTLEMAN: For the information of members, I table the following paper:
Electricity Feed-in (Solar Premium) Bill 2007—Exposure draft.
The explanatory statement will presented when the bill is presented to the Assembly next year. A changing climate is a natural process for the environment. Unfortunately, our climate is changing in adverse ways at an accelerated rate due to the vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, most notably from fossil-based fuels produced by mankind. The ACT contributes approximately one per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions; in turn, Australia contributes approximately the same percentage of global emissions.
These figures show that we here in the ACT are small players when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions—but players nonetheless. We as individuals, as a neighbourhood and as a community as a whole need to work together to start the social change required in addressing climate change.
For many years now there have been countless academics preaching about the need to address this issue. I firmly believe that all of us here in the Assembly and the ACT community are aware of the challenge that faces us. The deadline for action is fast approaching. One area where we can facilitate instant change is electricity production from renewable sources like the sun.
Our current level of dependence on fossil fuels is unsustainable. The transition to sustainable energy systems is one of the largest challenges to face mankind in the coming century. Our federal counterparts, led by a climate change sceptic for some 11 years, have failed to take the lead in an area where we need it most—and only recently have back-flipped, accepting that there is a problem.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .