Page 2179 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 August 2014
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Kangaroos—cull
MRS JONES: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Recently you said this about the vandalism at a TAMS depot:
Certainly the incident at the Holder depot was particularly unstrategic on the part of the activists if they were seeking to have an impact on the kangaroo cull—all they did was damage equipment that was used by City Services for cleaning the city. This resulted in a delay in the cleaning of various shopping centres, public toilets and other public amenities around the city.
How long was cleaning of various shopping centres, public toilets and other public amenities delayed, and has the backlog of work caused by this vandalism been cleared?
MR RATTENBURY: It was delayed because people were unable to use equipment that had been damaged. Yes, I believe the staff have caught up, but I will double-check that for Mrs Jones’s benefit and confirm it by the end of question time.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: Minister, what areas suffered in particular with the delays as a result of the vandalism?
MR RATTENBURY: I believe it was in the Woden and Weston Creek areas. If I have any further information to add to that, I will also report that back later. But it was those two districts that were predominantly affected.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Ms Lawder.
MS LAWDER: Minister, what actions have you taken to improve security at TAMS depots as a result of the vandalism?
MR RATTENBURY: A number of steps have been put in place. I am reluctant to provide the full details in this environment in order to maintain TAMS’s security capabilities where possible.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, what were the benefits of the cull?
MR RATTENBURY: As the government has maintained for a number of years, the purpose of the conservation cull is to provide ecological balance in Canberra’s nature reserves. Unfortunately, we have a situation where, through changes in the environment, kangaroos are now overgrazing due to uncontained population numbers. This is a result of lack of natural predation and significant supplies of water. What this means is that, unfortunately, we do get an ecological imbalance in the nature reserves.
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