The ACT Greens lead candidate for Brindabella, Amanda Bresnan, has committed the ACT Greens to pursuing ethical investment of Government funds in the new Assembly.

“Following pressure from Greens MLA Deb Foskey, and the scandal of ACT Government investments in cluster-bombs and tobacco, the ACT Government signed up to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment.”

“Initially we were really pleased with this step, but the Government has failed to follow through and these immoral investments remain.

“The Chief Minister has not used his shareholder status to ask a single question about the operations of the businesses the Government invests in.”

“The ACT Government fund managers do not appear to have taken any active steps to cut our investments in contentious industries or lift our game on the social or environmental front.”

“The role of the Government is to set the ethical guidlines for the fund managers to work within.”

The Greens will seek to include negative screening and positive screening as part of ACT Government investment guidelines.

“Negative screening is the best way to bring an end to our tax dollars being invested in harmful industries, like tobacco and cluster-bombs.”

“Positive screening guidelines would increase investment in industries such as solar and wind power by commiting a minimum percentage of funds to ethical investment.”

“We will push to invest Canbera’s savings sustainably, ethically and locally where possible.” Ms Bresnan said.

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey today proposed that the overt display of drug paraphernalia be prohibited.

“In speaking to Mr Mulcahy’s proposed amendment to the Criminal Code, that proposed a ban on the sale of drug paraphernalia, I made the point that the evolving controls on tobacco marketing provides guidance on how we should deal with other contentious products” Dr Foskey said today.

“It is important to work against “normalising” the consumption of any dangerous substances, from trans-fats to tobacco to ice.”

“That is why the ACT Government is about to amend tobacco legislation, for example, to prohibit the point of sale display of any cigarettes.”

“I am proposing that the Government considers a ban on the shop window display of drug paraphernalia.”

“As most people in our community would concede, making the sale of ice pipes illegal would not reduce the use of ice. It would probably result, simply, in riskier behaviours.”

“The issue then isn’t that access to such equipment increases illicit drug use. It is that its highly visible promotion appears to normalise the use of illicit drugs, and it is important to avoid, where possible, sending mixed signals.”

“I couldn’t support Mr Mulchay’s Bill today because it wouldn’t achieve what he imagined that it would. I understand his concern with mixed messages however, and would support placing restrictions on the display of the equipment he has targeted” Dr Foskey said.