Page 978 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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Once again I would like to give a plug for the Million Paws Walk that the RSPCA are holding on 16 May. It is going to be a great event. It is one of their key fundraisers for the year. As I think I said a couple of weeks ago, I am going to have to borrow four paws to take part in the Million Paws Walk, but now that Mary Porter, a government member for Ginninderra, has four paws, I am sure she will be able to participate with Lola—the much talked about Lola.
Ms Porter: I will be there.
MR COE: And I hope Lola is too.
Mr Hargreaves: It is only a brief pause though!
MR COE: A brief pause; that is right. Another organisation that I want to mention for doing great work in the promotion of animals and the care of animals is the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society, which runs the Royal Canberra Show. This year the Canberra Show was another great success. I know that each member of the opposition—me, Zed, Brendan, Jeremy, Steve and Vicki—went along to the show. We all had a great time.
A key aspect of the Royal Canberra Show is the display of animals, acknowledging the care and attention that many owners put into raising animals and into looking after them and making sure that the breeds continue as healthy creatures long into the future. Some of the animals that they exhibit and offer prizes for are dogs, cavies, horses, sheep, goats, alpacas and cattle—and, of course, cats, dogs and other domestic animals in addition to other farmyard animals. It is a great organisation and I believe it has been running for about 80 years, with the first show being in 1927.
The officials of the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society are well worth acknowledging in this place, because they do great work. The president is Rod Crompton and the chief executive officer is Geoff Cannock. The section head is Barry Emmett, the chief steward is Robyn Keyver and the ring steward is Kerry Wailes. In charge of performance is Pat Emmett. The registrar is Glynda Bluhm, and the local representative is Joan Young. They were the officials for 2010. They continue to serve and they do a superb job. I thank them for the great event they put on this year.
Another organisation worth recognising for doing a great job in this space is Dogs ACT, the ACT Canine Association. Dogs are probably the most popular of the domestic animals that we have in Canberra—and everywhere. Dogs are largely regarded as one of the more responsive of domestic animals and I know that many of us here in the Assembly take a lot of joy out of them.
It is worth noting that the ACT Canine Association, amongst all the great work they do, promote a code of ethics, which is very important when we are talking about something which is so near and dear to our hearts. The code of ethics includes points such as the following:
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