Page 5297 - Week 14 - Thursday, 19 November 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
site. It seems that the Facebook site “Lift ACT ban on fireworks” is her hallmark argument for lifting the ban on fireworks. So I will just read some extracts from this Facebook site:
Ho Ho. Still got a few crackers to throw at the house of dogs.
we need fireworks, what else would drunk people light then throw at each other
HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO BLOW UP LETTER BOXES WITH THIS SHITTY NEW LAW?!?!
You do know if they keep the ban, fireworks are going to be coming in illegally and there going t be targeting the politians/people who brought this idea up.
Then it goes on to:
I almost blew my hand off with fireworks while drunk the other night.
It is a very good Facebook site you have referred us to, Mrs Dunne. And then there is another one which is so badly peppered with bad language that I will not be able to quote it, but the intent is:
What would u rater do fireworks or watch stupid flowers i think i know what i want to do … the flowers thats all is left for … that got no … life n the government needs to do something to get money in the act.
This is, indeed, the quality and the thinking around people and fireworks. So drunks want to blow their hands off, they want to blow letterboxes up and they want to indeed blow dogs up. So thank you, Mrs Dunne, for that Facebook site. There are more, and I might get to them, but I have limited time.
Much has been said about the government’s decision to ban fireworks. Apart from the Facebook entries, so eloquently put, opinion pages have been full of hotly-worded letters. There have been fiery talkback radio debates. A pro-fireworks group has sprung up on the internet; thank you, Mrs Dunne. Animal protection groups and the government have had the mandatory “fun police” accusations hurled at them.
Ridiculous arguments have been submitted as reasons for the government continuing to allow people access to this form of explosives. When the issues of animal protection and welfare have been raised, I have heard a number of pro-fireworks people comparing the explosive discharge of a firework to that of naturally occurring phenomena such as thunderstorms. “Should the government ban thunderstorms in case animals get frightened?” was one such comment.
To be honest, I have never heard such nonsense arguments being put forward to defend those in our community who are unable to abide by the restrictions that are put in place regarding the sale and the use of consumer fireworks. The noise levels reached by both thunder and fireworks may appear similar in intensity and both noises may frighten and terrify animals. However, animals react to those two very different events with completely different behaviours. When subjected to a thunderstorm, the natural instinct for most dogs is to cower, tremble and try to find cover. When
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video