Page 2565 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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Control of Ferrets
MR WOOD: My question is also addressed to the Minister for Housing and Urban Services. I refer her to reports in the media about a child being bitten by a ferret. Now, I regret that injury to a child but I do want to ask the Minister for dogs, cats and things like that: what requirements operate in the ACT about introduced animals like ferrets? We have had extensive debates here about animals, fish and the like, getting into the natural environment. Are there conditions under which ferrets should be kept? Are they allowed to be imported? She might tell me what protection exists, not only to children but also to the environment.
MRS GRASSBY: Thank you, Mr Wood. I think the only ferrets are in the opposition, are they not? A Canberra child was apparently bitten by a ferret. I am told that the child had trapped the ferret and made it very angry. Like people in this house, when ferrets get very angry they bite back! I guess that is exactly what happened here. I understand that there are not many ferrets in Canberra. In fact, I inquired about this matter and I found that there are only a few and they are not dangerous.
Ms Follett: What are their names?
MRS GRASSBY: Well, there is Bernard, there is Norman, there is Gary, and Bill. They all have male names. Females do not ferret and they do not bite. But I understand that generally the ferrets are not dangerous. There are not a lot of them and the few there are, are mostly pets. I understand that there is no law about keeping ferrets in Canberra. If they were to become a danger, I am sure we could bring in a law and perhaps we could get lots of little cages for all the ferrets in the opposition.
Internal Investigations Unit
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Chief Minister. Will she advise whether the internal investigations unit of her Government is under her direct control and whether reports are made directly to her? Will she further advise the Assembly whether the internal investigations unit was recently instructed to interview persons suspected of assisting the Residents Rally in the discharge of its Assembly functions? Will she confirm that one such person interviewed was a Mr John Rockley? Will the Chief Minister further advise why Mr David Lawrence of the Chief Minister's Department also sought to interview a Mr John Rockley in relation to a belief that he had supplied information to the Residents Rally?
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