Page 2945 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 12 October 2022
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MS BERRY: I refer the member to the first answer that I provided around the consultation on the use of that oval. That consultation will continue through the work that TCCS and Sport and Recreation are doing. Initially the focus will be on the first part adjacent to the school.
The Listening Report is almost complete and will soon be released to the community. I am looking forward to hearing feedback following that work and the consultation and conversations with the community so far. Preliminary designs will be drafted. The community will also get to have another say on that, as will the school, importantly, and we will then go ahead with starting the work on that first part of the restoration of that dryland oval.
Environment—pest and kangaroo management
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Minister, you were elected on a policy platform that states that animals deserve our care and respect. Incidentally, the ACT has passed laws recognising animals as sentient beings. Minister, how can you explain the use of 1080 poison on wild dogs, which causes a horrible and painful death? How does that treat them with care and respect?
MS VASSAROTTI: Thank you, Ms Lawder, for the question. The issue of how we look after our biodiversity as a system is a really complex one, and it is one where we do need to look at a range of issues in how we support the different species that are using our local environment. Certainly, in relation to the management of particular pest species, we do need to look at different ways that we manage those species.
When we do this, we absolutely look at how we can address animal management, and look after the whole biodiversity, including all species, in a way that takes into account the impact on the environment, as well as how animal management can meet the highest animal welfare standards in respect of the tools that we have available.
In relation to the use of certain management things, such as the poison referenced by Ms Lawder, it is used in a way that minimises impacts and looks to animal welfare requirements, to ensure that we are managing the environment in a way that is most humane, with the tools that we have available in our bailiwick.
MS LAWDER: Minister, can you explain how clubbing joeys to death treats them with care and respect?
MS VASSAROTTI: Thank you, Ms Lawder, for the question. The issue of how we address our kangaroo management strategy is a significant issue that we have been discussing with members of the Assembly, including a significant discussion in estimates, and including a briefing to the Assembly environment committee. It talks about the really important things that we need to do, in terms of kangaroo management.
Again, as I referenced in my previous answer, the issue of how we manage our environment is important, and we absolutely have to do that. We need to deal with kangaroo management as part of that. That is done under a strategy that is evidence
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