PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 7 AUGUST 1991
The Government today re. leased for public comment the
Ecologically Sustainable Development ( ESD) working group
draft reports. The reports, covering nine major industry
sectors, are due to be Einalised by the end of October. A
further draft report on intersectoral issues will be
available for public comnment in the next few weeks.
The Government expects the final reports to provide the
basis of discussion and consideration by all levels of
government on strategies to achieve ecologically sustainable
development in key industry sectors. The reports will also
provide important information and input for other
environment-related activities, such as the
Inter-Governmental Agreement on the Environment currently
being discussed.
Following finalisation of the reports, they will be
considered initially at: the November Special Premiers'
Conference. The Conference is also expected to discuss
appropriate processes 2Lnd the timetable for considering the
final recommendations cof the ESD working groups.
The nine sectors are Agrriculture, Energy Production and
Distribution, Energy Use, Fisheries, Forestry,
Manufacturing, Mining, Tourism and Transport.
The Government congratulates the working groups and the
three Chairs Professor Stuart Harris, Professor David
Throsby and Dr Roy Green for preparing the draft reports.
The groups, containing representatives from industry,
environmental and community organisations, as well as
Commonwealth, State and Territory officials, have
demonstrated a constructive and positive approach to
tackling the wide rangia of issues under consideration.
The Government is encouraging comments on the issues raised
in the draft reports, and sees public participation as an
important component of the ESD process. A public
consultation program has been established, with some public
forums already held and further ones planned. A survey of
public attitudes on ESD issues is to commence shortly. 521