Page 3760 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 23 October 2013
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to us, we constantly can hear the cheering and clapping that go on on that field when there are games going on and people are so much enjoying themselves. And when we drive past or are walking on the ovals, we notice all the children that are there, particularly on the weekend, with the little toddlers and even very small children playing football, and all the parents, grandmothers and grandfathers there supporting them. The atmosphere is just wonderful. If it was not for the sporting fields and such wonderful facilities, they would be very much poorer.
In addition to again thanking everyone in sport and rec and parks and conservation, I would like to thank all the volunteers who also join with us in supporting this activity that we have. Once again, I commend the motion to the Assembly.
Motion agreed to.
Adjournment
Motion by Mr Barr proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
International White Cane Day
MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (5.57): I rise this afternoon to speak about International White Cane Day, which is held on 15 October each year. This day is to raise awareness for the importance of the white cane and how it aids mobility and independence for a person with vision loss. I, along with my Assembly colleagues Yvette Berry and Andrew Wall and the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Mitch Fifield, attended the launch of the “watch out, cane about” road safety campaign last week.
The “watch out, cane about” campaign is a pedestrian road safety awareness initiative which was launched by Guide Dogs ACT-New South Wales to try to address the worrying numbers of pedestrians with vision loss reporting near misses and collisions with vehicles when trying to cross the road.
The slogan of the campaign sums it up well: “If you can see my cane, I can’t see you”. One in two blind or vision-impaired guide dog clients have had a near miss while trying to cross the road in recent years. It is very important that we improve this within the community.
This year marks 92 years since the white cane was invented by an Englishman who had lost his sight and decided to paint his black cane white to make it more visible for others. The education campaign focuses on the dos and don’ts when it comes to motorists and vision-impaired pedestrians. For example, they are encouraging motorists to exercise extra caution when approaching a crossing that has a vision- impaired person because, while you can see them, they might not be able to see you at all.
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