Page 4097 - Week 15 - Thursday, 17 December 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Cornwell: He has taken Charlie Russell's cattle off Red Hill, for a start.
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, it may be out of order, but I will respond to an interjection. I am not taking Mr Russell's cattle off Red Hill. It is a matter entirely for Mr Russell. I would be delighted if he kept them there. I want him to keep them there. I have done nothing to take them off the hill. That is a misperception that has been spread around the place. I do wish, however, that Mr Russell would utilise the generosity we have given to him to pay his bills.
On the matter of grass cutting, all members would know from their own backyards that it has been a pretty good growing season. The Parks and Conservation Service have been active in mowing. They have been giving priority to areas which people use or where they concentrate. That, obviously, is the starting point. As the weather gets warmer - if it ever gets warmer, and I do not know what the outcome of that might be - the grass will obviously start to dry out. I guess that eventually that will happen. At that stage Parks and Conservation will direct their efforts towards grass cutting as a bushfire prevention measure. That will happen as soon as it needs to. Many areas not yet cut will be cut ahead of the Christmas period.
Emergency Rescue Services
MADAM SPEAKER: I call Mr Westende.
Mr Stevenson: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I believe that the standing orders require that the person first on their feet be given the nod.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you for pointing out that standing order to me, Mr Stevenson. Given that I was nearly dying of a cough, Mr Westende has the floor.
MR WESTENDE: Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Urban Services. Considering the difficulties that have arisen with the delivery of emergency rescue services in the ACT, has the Minister given consideration to establishing a rescue and emergency service board along the line that exists in New South Wales? Its membership comprises senior representation from the police, the fire brigade, the ambulance, the bushfire service and the emergency services. There are normally more requests or more need for emergency services over the period of Christmas and the New Year. Can the Minister assure us that we will not have any problems between the two competing forces?
MR CONNOLLY: Madam Speaker, I thank Mr Westende for his question. There was a period some months ago when we were going through a bad patch. Cooperation between the police and the Fire Brigade, at the operational level, seemed to be in some jeopardy. I am pleased to report that the position since then has improved markedly. On the ground cooperation at accident scenes has improved. We changed the arrangements to ensure that there was always a first response to an accident by the first available vehicle. Previously, we had a strict north-south divide. Potentially, that meant that, if there was an accident outside the fire station in Tuggeranong, the fire crew would have to stand by and watch until the police truck, which may have been doing something on the other side of Canberra, arrived. That was the arrangement that was originally entered into under the Alliance Government. We modified that, and working arrangements have been going well since then.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .