[Greens-Media] Public safety at risk

[Manderson, Roland]

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ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey MEDIA RELEASE
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4 Aug 06


Public safety at risk

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has argued that plans to slash the ACT's parks and conservation staff will put the Canberra population at risk.

"The ACT government is going to make redundant a whole heap of the Canberra parks staff who were awarded medals after fighting the 2003 fires by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope" Dr Foskey said today.

"Most of the bushfire fighting, and most of the hazard reduction work, has been carried out by parks staff that the ACT Government is planning to slash. Attempts to replace these professionals with volunteers has failed."

"Public safety is being put at risk."

"In addition to cutting park staff by a third, the Government - for apparent efficiency reasons - is going to amalgamate nature conservation services with units that manage urban parks and nature strips."

"Given the squeaky wheel syndrome, it is likely that even more resources and expertise will be lost or redirected away from our national parks and conservation zones to areas closer to home, once the amalgamation proceeds."

"Such sweeping dangerous changes are being driven by a report - the Costello Review - that is being kept secret even from senior public servants."

"It has become clear that majority government gives unfettered powers to the ACT Chief Minister. Consequently, the onus is on Mr Stanhope to put all the relevant information in the public arena."

"If the safety of people in Canberra is being put at risk by budget cuts, then we ought to understand why. There is no reason to keep the Costello review a secret any longer, and every reason to make it - or the bulk of it - public" Dr Foskey said.

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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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