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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3414 ..

MINISTER FOR URBAN SERVICES

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION ON NOTICE 472

Mowing Services - Tuggeranong

Mr Wood - asked the Minister for Urban Services:

(1) What changes have occurred in the organisation of mowing in Tuggeranong in the last year?

(2) What are (a) the relative roles of CityScape and Totalcare and (b) what is the reason for any change?

(3) What other contracts have been undertaken for mowing services outside the public sector and why?

(4) What steps does the Minister intend to take to improve the deteriorating condition of Tuggeranong ovals and restore the top dressing that formerly occurred?

(5) What is the future of the Gowrie Depot?

Mr Kaine - the answer to the member's question is as follows:

(1) There have been no changes in the standards for mowing in Tuggeranong which are based on the Mowing Policy that applies across the Canberra municipal area. Neither have there been changes to the level of service delivery against these standards.

(2) (a) CityScape is the purchaser of services provided by Totalcare. Totalcare is a subcontractor of CityScape's.

(b) CityScape has a commitment to use the services provided by Totalcare under the tied arrangements which currently apply until July 1998. The NCA and the Department of Education recently tendered out the work previously done by CityScape. In competing for the work, CityScape was pleased to include Totalcare in the tender process.

(3) CityScape has not entered into any significant mowing contracts outside the public sector. Historically, however, CityScape has undertaken small mowing services for several non-government schools. These contracts in no way affect the service delivery to the Canberra community and are consistent with CityScape's operation as a commercial provider.

(4) The asset manager of ovals, the Bureau of Sport, Recreation and Racing, advises that sportsgrounds in Tuggeranong, like all grounds across the city, are in the normal condition for the end of a winter season, with a number of them in quite worn condition, others less so. The usual spring restoration program, incorporating topdressing, aerating, oversowing and fertilising, is now under way, with work funded to a comparable level to that of recent years. The program will continue through until

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