Page 3891 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 23 October 1990
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practice of blooding greyhounds or hunting dogs, and including a law to make it illegal to be in possession of animals which could be used as live bait for greyhounds - animals such as rabbits, hares, guinea pigs, small dogs, cats, possums, large birds, and things like that - at a place where live baiting of dogs is occurring or where greyhounds or hunting dogs are being raced or trained to race or hunt. Also, we plan to prohibit the possession of steel jaw traps and animal fighting equipment, such as cockfighting spur caps and sharp spurs or spurs with fixed rowels.
The policy statement also includes some important non-legislative policies, including the establishment of an animal welfare unit to implement the policy. Its functions will be to administer the proposed Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and to improve animal welfare through training and development, the review of codes of practice and the implementation of community information systems.
The proposed legislation will bind the activities of the ACT Government. A number of Commonwealth bodies conduct research or other activities in the ACT which affect the welfare of animals. These activities should also be covered by the new legislation as far as possible. Therefore, the policy states that the ACT Government will seek to have the necessary arrangements made for the animal welfare legislation to bind the Commonwealth Crown as well as the ACT Government.
In due course, the Government will also conduct a companion animal review, to consult with groups representing pet owners and the general public about the management of companion animals - dogs, cats, budgies, et cetera. This will include pet registration, identification systems and compulsory desexing of cats and dogs.
Mr Speaker, I commend the policy statement to the Assembly. I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
ABSENCE OF MINISTER
Ministerial Statement
MR KAINE (Chief Minister), by leave: Mr Speaker, I find it rather curious that the members opposite demand to know where a member of the Government is, since he has been absent for only three-quarters of an hour at this stage. If we are going to be asked to explain our absences, I think the Leader of the Opposition will have more trouble than anybody else because she spends less time here than anybody else. She will have to explain where she has been every time she comes back.
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