Page 3734 - Week 12 - Thursday, 25 November 2021
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Municipal services—mowing
MR HANSON (Murrumbidgee) (3.55): I seek leave to move a motion about mowing on behalf of Ms Lawder.
Leave granted.
MR HANSON: I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Bureau of Meteorology predicted a La Nina alert for this summer;
(b) Canberra experienced its wettest winter in five years with more than 215 millimetres of rain being recorded at the Canberra Airport;
(c) the recent ACT lockdown period delayed the scheduled commencement of the annual mowing program;
(d) overgrown grass poses a significant fire hazard, can reduce driver visibility and increases the risk of snake encounters, particularly as Canberra experiences warmer weather;
(e) Canberra residents want to take pride in their suburbs and be able to enjoy their neighbourhood parks and grasslands;
(f) in the 2019-20 financial year, there were 8177 Fix My Street requests relating to “grass, trees and shrubs” lodged by residents;
(g) the ACT Government has told residents for years to be patient and understanding regarding overgrown grass rather than adequately investing in mowing resources; and
(h) the City Services crew does a great job, but they need to be better supported by this Government and require an increased mowing fleet; and
(2) calls on the ACT Government to:
(a) provide additional funding this financial year to ensure mowing can be completed in a timely and efficient manner;
(b) investigate how to improve the current mowing program so that residents aren’t concerned about overgrown grass in their neighbourhoods each year; and
(c) investigate how to better prevent grass clippings from mowing entering stormwater drains and waterways.
I welcome the opportunity to speak about this important issue today, and I thank Ms Lawder for putting it on the notice paper, although she is unable to attend.
This motion does a number of things, but importantly, it calls for a greater investment in ACT mowing resources. The reason we are raising this is that it echoes the concerns of many residents across this town. Each year—it is not isolated to this year—if you are out in the community, at the shops or at community councils, you
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