Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question to you, Mr Speaker, is pretty mundane after the heaviness of the last few minutes. I am a member of the House Committee, which you chair along with the other Presiding Officer. In those capacities we take an interest in this house, its surrounds and its wellbeing and the fact that it is a tourist icon of Australia and a very important building in this nation. For the last number of years we have had a drought, and that has caused the water features in this building to be turned off. They are covered over but they form an integral part of the surrounds and gardens of this house. My question to you—and I am not expecting an answer today—is at what stage when Canberra’s water storages are filled is there a trigger at their point of filling where we will automatically come back to the grounds and the water features being restored in this place? If there is not, will you consider whether there might be some discussions with the water suppliers for the Canberra area that there would be a trigger for those water features to be reinstated in the house as part of the integral nature of this building?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is a trigger and, as the person who shares the responsibilities for the administration of this place, I should know the answer for the figure for the trigger. I will ensure that it is circulated. There is also a website where you can monitor through ACTEW how far under that trigger, regrettably, we continue to be here in the Australian Capital Territory.