Page 2555 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Grass Mowing
MR STEFANIAK: My question is about grass, and it is to the Minister for Housing and Urban Services. What does the Minister intend doing about the safety risks which presently exist in Oxley, Erindale and Wanniassa where grass has reached waist height and is creating a fire hazard and also problems with snakes. Four or five brown snakes have been seen there. Secondly, does the state of these suburban green areas have anything to do with the ACT Parks and Conservation Service's inability to keep up with the amount of work involved in the upkeep of Canberra's green belts? Finally, does the Minister intend putting subcontractors back on the job to ensure Canberra's environment is not neglected?
MRS GRASSBY: I do know about the problems, Mr Stefaniak. The point is that we have had more rain this year than we have ever had and, as the weather warms up, the grass grows very fast. At the moment we have put all the machines in our department out to work. Contractors have got extra work, which is being done as quickly as possible. But, as we can see, the skies are about to open up again this afternoon and the rain is about to pour down. People do not work with machinery in the rain, so the operation will take a bit longer. As for snakes, Mr Stefaniak, at this time of the year they are well known in Canberra. People know that brown snakes are dangerous. This is their mating time. It is the time they come out. They are protected. People know that when they are walking through long grass they should make lots of noise and wear stout shoes and socks. The snakes will usually run away from people; they only bite when they are cornered or attacked.
So, as for saying that the long grass has brought the snakes, I think you will find that there have always been venomous snakes in Canberra, and we have always been aware of them. I have had many in my backyard, particularly at this time of the year, even though the grass has been cut very low. They come off Black Mountain to Aranda. So that is nothing new. I do have all available personnel from my department out working and cutting as much grass as fast as they can. But, as soon as they get it cut, it rains, and unfortunately with the warm weather the grass grows faster. But you will find that the cutting operations will move quite fast now because we have all machines out.
Mental Health
MR WOOD: I direct a question to the Minister for Community Services and Health. It is the fact that more people with mental illness in the ACT are now out of institutions and in care of relatives or are self-supporting. This raises a number of questions. Has the ACT traditionally spent less
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