Page 5521 - Week 17 - Wednesday, 4 December 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Playing Fields and Parks - Watering
MR STEVENSON: My question is addressed to Mr Bill Wood and concerns playing fields and parks. There are many people - - -
MR SPEAKER: I would ask you again, Mr Stevenson, to refer to members by their surname rather than bringing in the Christian name at every opportunity you get. You are the only one that does this consistently. Please proceed.
MR STEVENSON: My question concerns public parks and playing fields. There are many people in the Belconnen community in particular that are concerned that parks and playing fields have not had sufficient water for some while, to the degree that the grass has actually died. So, I would ask: What has been the policy in this area? Has the policy changed recently and, if the parks are not going to be watered correctly, what is seen as the logical outcome of that?
MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, it is true that a number of ovals - some 15 neighbourhood ovals and some non-playing surfaces adjacent to ovals - are getting less water. This is certainly due to the dry season we are having, but is also an outcome of the recent budget. Budget funds were reduced in response to the tight circumstances; but, to be fair, it was also a water conservation matter. The two are locked together. We clearly acknowledge that we had to reduce funds, and this is one way of doing it. We anticipate that there will be a saving of a quarter of a million dollars in the current financial year as a result of that, and a very large saving in water.
You indicated that the grass on ovals had died. I believe that the grass is dry. I do not know that it is dead. I think a drop of rain would rapidly green that grass. I believe that it should be maintained at a reasonable height. It is not dead but will quickly regenerate when we get a little more rain.
Lake Burley Griffin - Powerboats
MRS NOLAN: Mr Speaker, I ask my question of Mr Connolly, although I am not 100 per cent sure that, in fact, it concerns his portfolio area. However, I will leave it for him to pursue the matter with another Minister, if necessary. I refer Mr Connolly to his promise some weeks ago to pursue the matter of use of Lake Burley Griffin by steam and electrically powered boats. I remember that he promised that he would pursue it with his Federal colleague Ros Kelly. I ask the Minister what has happened in relation to that. While I recognise that it is a Federal issue, I know that he did state that he would pursue the matter.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .