Page 4310 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 27 November 2013
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renewal is planned. Community feedback guides the design of each play space and may be sought on a range of issues, such as type of equipment, artwork and design theme. Each community is different and each play space is individually designed to meet the needs of the community wherever possible.
The TAMS website already shows details of ACT playground upgrades. That is something that I believe Mrs Jones referred to in her motion—making sure that TAMS does have that information available.
The other thing that I would go to is the scope of the discussion. I note that Mrs Jones has issued a press release today about this issue. I am actually unsure now what Mrs Jones is after, because the original motion simply called on the government to publish progress on playground upgrade strategy and criteria used to assess playgrounds. As I have indicated, both in my remarks and in the information available on the TAMS website, I believe many of those things are addressed. I will come to my amendment shortly but I think it picks up that point.
In her press release, and in her speech, Mrs Jones has now started talking about calling on the government to fence a series of playgrounds across the ACT. She actually tells the community:
I’m calling on the government to fence a series of playgrounds across the ACT …
It actually does not appear in the motion. I think it is always important that members put out accurate press releases, but that is for each of the parties to decide for themselves. The press release also says:
… I’m also calling on the government to paint dilapidated equipment and remove graffiti from playgrounds, which often includes crude images.
Again, that is not actually in the motion, but let us not get too caught up in the details. What I would say—and this has been made very clear in this chamber by both me and, I am sure, previous ministers—is that if there is crude imagery on a playground, it simply needs to be reported. I have indicated that TAMS prioritises those sorts of things, particularly if they are crude. I think that would be amplified if they are in a children’s play space. So if somebody reports that, it will be cleaned up as quickly as practicable. I have not brought the number with me, but if I recall correctly, I have said in this place before that there is a 24 to 48-hour turnaround for those kinds of crude or offensive images or words. I think that is quite appropriate. I do not think any parent wants to see that sort of image in a playground location.
When it comes to the fencing of playgrounds, I can inform the Assembly that TAMS do provide partial fencing if the playground is less than 20 metres from a road. This is the Australian standard. This can be seen at Oaks Estate, for example, at the playground in Gillespie park, and also behind O’Connor shops, where the playground is adjacent to a wetland, with the obvious safety issues that that involves.
The broader question of fencing playgrounds more generally is something that requires a bit of further consideration. There are issues around thinking about where
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