Page 2228 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 9 May 2012
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MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, as a result of the representations made by Mr Hanson, the rubbish was collected. Minister, why do local residents have to complain before any action is taken to maintain the condition of reserves?
MS GALLAGHER: I do not think that is a fair analysis in general. I think it is expected of us that where concerns are raised we respond to them. It may have been that it was not within the schedule of cleaning and maintenance that was being done, that the representation came and it was responded to. But it is the same with Fix My Street. It is the same with all the calls to Canberra Connect. They do not necessarily have to come through the Chief Minister’s office, but it is feedback from the community around potholes, around people living in parks, around damage and vandalism to schools and around dangerous trees. There are standard ways of providing that feedback and then TAMS will do what it can to respond. So there is the general work schedule and maintenance that occurs without representation from constituents and then there are other feedback mechanisms which work very effectively to respond and address community needs when they arise.
MR HANSON: Supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hanson
MR HANSON: Minister, how often is routine maintenance carried out on the Red Hill reserve?
MS GALLAGHER: I would have to take that on notice, but it would be frequently. We have our city rangers in the nature reserves every day—I would have to just confirm that—and into other areas of the city. It depends. Some shopping centres and other public facilities are cleaned daily; others where required it is weekly. It just depends on the nature of the public facility and the public asset what the maintenance and cleaning regime is. I will certainly check for Red Hill nature reserve but I would expect that it would be done very frequently.
MR HANSON: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, is the maintenance of reserves carried out from a list of priorities? If so, how are these priorities established?
MS GALLAGHER: There are people whose job it is to manage those facilities. So it is a priority. The nature parks and reserves are a priority and there are staff whose sole job is to manage those areas on behalf of the ACT community.
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