XN000022-1980-07-09 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980

MEMBERS SUPPORT WATER POLLUTION CONTROL BILL

*****

LEGISLATION TO CURB THE POLLUTION OF STREAMS, NULLAHS AND TERRITORIAL WATERS HAVE THE BACKING OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

BUT THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT, INASMUCH AS THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL BILL IS A PIECE OF ENABLING LEGISLATION ONLY, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE IMPLICATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS, OF ITS PROVISIONS UNTIL THE REGULATIONS TO BE ENACTED UNDER THE BILL ARE AVAILABLE.

THE HON LYDIA DUNN, CONVENOR OF THE AD HOC GROUP OF UNOFFICIALS SET UP TO EXAMINE THE BILL, EXPLAINED THIS WAS WHY INDUSTRY HAD ONLY BEEN CONSULTED IN VERY GENERAL TERMS.

+UNTIL INDUSTRY KNOWS PRECISELY HOW THE LAW IS TO BE APPLIED AND ENFORCED, SHE POINTED OUT, IT IS QUITE IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THE EXTENT TO WHICH PARTICULAR TRADES WILL BE AFFECTED.

+THE FINAL VIEW TAKEN BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, THEREFORE, WILL DEPEND UPON THE CONTENT OF THE REGULATIONS TO BE MADE AT A LATER STAGE, THE EXTENT OF CONSULTATIONS WITH INDUSTRY IN DRAWING UP THESE REGULATIONS AND THE NOTICE PERIOD BEFORE THE REGULATIONS BECOME EFFECTIVE.+

DESPITE THE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE PRACTICAL EFFECTS OF THE BILL, MISS DUNN HAD ASKED THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TO ASSURE THAT:

* IN DRAWING UP THE REGULATIONS, CONSULTATIONS WOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM) AND THAT MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS WOULD ALSO BE CONSULTED-

*

THERE SHOULD BE A PERIOD OF THREE TO SIX MONTHS AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE REGULATIONS BEFORE THEY BECOME EFFECTIVE, AND

* THE PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS ALLOWED FOR UNOFFICIAL

MEMBERS TO CONSIDER RULES, REGULATIONS AND BY-LAWS SHOULD BE EXTENDED IN THIS CASE TO GIVE MEMBERS SUFFICIENT TIME TO STUDY WHAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE A HIGHLY TECHNICAL SUBJECT.

ON THE DRAFTING OF REGULATIONS, MISS DUNN STRESSED THAT THE VIEWS OF MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS AS SUCH ON THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF MEASURES DEEMED TO BE APPROPRIATE TO COMBAT POLLUTION ARE ESSENTIAL IN ORDER TO STRIKE A SENSIBLE BALANCE BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND THE ECONOMY.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN TO CONSULT THESE ASSOCIATIONS IN ADDITION TO EPCOM AND HAS INFORMED THE UNOFFICIALS THAT THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH WILL ASSESS THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE REGULATIONS.

/ON THE

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