Page 619 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 May 1992
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The Government seems much more concerned to harass a fellow who is 87 years old. For heaven's sake, he has only a couple of decades to go - we hope so anyhow, for that gentleman's sake - so why make it such a big deal for him? I can speak from personal experience. When Charlie was allowed to graze 40 cows there the grass was kept short. Now there are whole areas within that lease where the scotch thistle has taken over. The cows will eat scotch thistles when they are very small. Now, with only 15 head of cattle, they grow up and seed and the problem multiplies. In fact, now the scotch thistles are creating a fire hazard.
Madam Speaker, like the two speakers before me, I often see parents taking their children there. In fact, I walk there practically every weekend. I have never had anything but admiration for Charlie Russell and for his cows and a couple of horses. He also allows the agistment of a couple of horses for high school students who help him to check whether the fences are down, and to check whether the water troughs are full. In fact, they help him to stop some erosion which, without his cows, would be far worse than it is now.
I would recommend to the Government that they have a look at Charlie's lease and have a look at the amount of grass that is available and allow Charlie to graze a few more cows than he is grazing at present. As I said, when he was allowed to graze about 40, the area was kept trim and the weeds were kept under control. I understand that under the ACT law the scotch thistle might be a noxious weed. Now, what is the Government doing? They are increasing the noxious weed.
Mr Wood: No. The park care groups are doing a great job with it, and so are our people, when they can get to it.
MR WESTENDE: I would like to take you personally to an area which is absolutely full of scotch thistles. I can assure you that there are scotch thistles in the area that I could take you to, Mr Wood, and they were not there when Charlie was allowed to graze 40 head of cattle there.
Mr Wood: You know how cows spread scotch thistle all over the place. They transfer it - and fertilise.
MR WESTENDE: I am sure, Mr Wood, that if you allow Charlie to graze 40 cattle there those thistles will soon disappear. You may have to burn them off to begin with. That is what I suggest Mr Wood look into. If Charlie had about 40 head of cattle there, I certainly would be much happier because it would reduce the bushfire risk. The people who have built on vacant land after the bushfire are now my barrier and I am sure that they would also be much happier.
MR LAMONT (11.16): I am somewhat surprised by some of the arguments that I have heard from across the room.
Mr Humphries: You always are.
MR LAMONT: Yes. Today, as on most other days, I have been singularly unimpressed. Coming from the scrub, one of the things that I think people need to bear in mind is that there have been changing requirements for the preservation of our natural environment, through soil protection Acts in New South Wales as an example, and through other mechanisms, to ensure that things such as overgrazing do not occur and to ensure that soil degradation does not occur. Indeed, the stocking rate for this area has been determined not by the
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