Page 3836 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2013
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shopfront alone. That will be a saving. But there are multiple drivers in this. It is about how you can be efficient within your directorate’s dollar. I think everyone in this place, and certainly in the community, expects us to be sensible about that. But there is also a driver about how you embed these programs within the new and developing capital social infrastructure that is already in place and how we bring services closer to where women are.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mrs Jones.
MRS JONES: In the lead-up to the decision, what consultation took place with women’s and other community sector groups before the announcement was made?
MS BURCH: I would accept it was limited, because sometimes you make a decision on the information in front of you. But we were very clear—I made contact, and I know the department and my office made contact, with the women’s groups as soon as the decision was made and it was public knowledge. We have since then convened one weekly meeting. There will be another meeting this Friday. We have put together a planning group about what it will look like from here on in.
We are now working very closely with the staff; we have spoken to the staff. We have invited them to have key input about what are the services. And the services have changed over 35 years, as one would expect. It is only right and proper that we look at those services to see what is in play now in the calendar of what is on for women and whether it is really relevant for today’s day and age and our Canberra community. It is an ongoing process. Yes, we have made the change, but I am confident with the stakeholders we have around the table that it will be right.
Animal welfare—animal sales code
MS BERRY: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, can you advise the Assembly of the benefits of the introduction of the territory’s animal sales code?
MR RATTENBURY: The territory’s new animal sales code came into effect this week, on 21 October. I notified the code in August this year, and it has now come into effect. The code is designed to improve animal welfare. Ensuring the ACT has strong animal welfare standards and modern animal welfare standards is an important role of government and is certainly something that is of importance to me.
The updating of the code is partly in fulfilment of a parliamentary agreement item to regulate cat and dog breeding and sales. This is the sales aspect of that item, and TAMS is undertaking some further work on the breeding aspect.
But turning to the code of practice itself, it establishes a variety of standards that must be met by people and companies selling animals. There is a fact sheet that is available on the TAMS website if people want to know more about the code. But I can, from that fact sheet, just mention a few of the key requirements under the code.
The accommodation where an animal is kept must be at certain standards—secure, hygienic and stress free—and provide sufficient space for rest and exercise. Animals
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