Page 301 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 31 May 1989
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Remuneration Tribunal concerning the salary and conditions payable to the Head of Administration. What is the Government's reaction to the claims of impropriety put by Ms Rosemary Nairn of the ACT Self-Government Campaign Committee, and what will the Government be doing about the matter?
MS FOLLETT: I am indeed aware of the stated reports on that matter, and it is my understanding that there is a Federal parliamentary committee at present investigating the issue. I have asked for a detailed report on the matter and when I have got that report I will be happy to provide the Assembly with some further information.
DOG CONTROL
MRS NOLAN: I have a question for Mrs Grassby, the Minister for Housing and Urban Services. Given that last week Mrs Grassby recognised that dogs in the ACT cause enormous problems, what does the Minister intend to do in relation to this matter? Can we as members of the community assume that mechanisms will be put in place by the Government to ensure that front fences are available to residents if they so choose and, if not, why not?
MRS GRASSBY: This is a very interesting question. During the election, when shadowing this portfolio, I was asked by many people about front fences. May I tell you that on our ticket we were very divided. Half of us said there should be front fences and the other half said there should not. The Chief Minister felt very much the same way as the questioner does about dogs and felt that there should be a front fence to keep dogs from her place. I felt that there should not have been, but at the moment our department is looking at that matter. When I have an answer, I will come back to the member with it.
MRS NOLAN: I ask a supplementary question because I think, with respect, the Minister referred only to the second part of my question. I would draw the Minister's attention to the current enforcement of municipal legislation, which encompasses items such as dog control. Will the Minister undertake to review that legislation?
MRS GRASSBY: We will be reviewing the legislation but, as I said yesterday, despite the fact that dogs have to be licensed, members would be amazed at how many unlicensed dogs are running around Canberra. At the moment we have a staff of only nine officers doing a most wonderful job in the whole of the area and, as I said, in a calendar month 1,967 dogs were impounded; 1,197 were humanely destroyed; and 27 dogs were shot in rural areas of the ACT for attacking livestock. I understand the RSPCA has also destroyed a large number of animals. Dog control is costing the taxpayers of this city $460,000 every year. We have to decide just how much further we can go on that or
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