Cabinet to vote on fireworks ban
The ACT Government says community opposition to the sale of fireworks is growing and cabinet is considering a ban.Canberrans are allowed to buy fireworks for three days over the Queen's Birthday long weekend.
The fireworks can be set-off on the Saturday and Sunday evening before 9:00pm AEST.
The Government has been threatening to introduce a ban for more than five years.
Industrial Relations Minister John Hargreaves says last year's festivities resulted in 510 complaints to the Government as well as 17 fires and nine dog deaths.
He says he has made a submission to cabinet to make the fireworks evenings illegal. Ministers will vote on the issue later this month.
"The general public are very well behaved on 'cracker night' ... but there is an element of the community who are not," he said.
"One of the concerns that we have is that the fireworks are sometimes let off before the weekend and certainly for a number of weekends after - and that's illegal."
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says he will not pre-empt cabinet's decision but the Government is keeping the community mood in mind.
"We're aware of the incrementally growing opposition to fireworks," he said.
Liberal leader Zed Seselja says it is a difficult issue.
"I think the community's split on this, there are very strong views both sides," he said.
He says the Opposition is yet to settle its position on the matter.
Mr Hargreaves says he has wanted a ban some time.
"My patience ran out 10 years ago when my pet had fireworks strapped to his belly and he was set on fire by people," he said.
"My daughter rescued him and doused the flames on his back. He was a three-month-old kitten."
But says he is supportive of planned fireworks displays like Skyfire.
"Those ones you know that they will be let off between certain hours and that's all. So you can make provisions for your pets," he said.
"But you can't do that if people can let them off between say 5pm and 9pm twice on a weekend - but we know that for the next couple of weeks they're going off randomly in the suburbs."
'Detrimental effects'
The RSPCA has also been calling for a ban on backyard fireworks.
CEO Michael Linke says they have already received complaints ahead of the weekend.
"There were fireworks off at Narrabundah last night. So you can't even buy fireworks yet, it's not even the Queen's Birthday weekend and people are already breaking the law," he said.
"This is where it is unfair and unreasonable to expect pet owners - for a two or three week period - to manage their animals in a different way and not know when firework activity is going on."
Mr Linke says it is not about banning 'fun'.
"In the major states it was banned 25, 30, 35 years ago so I don't think it's to do with the 'fun police' or banning fun," he said.
"This is an activity that has been banned everywhere else, there is no positive benefit for it, it has detrimental affects - animals die, animals are lost."
Lost business
Fireworks supplier Ruth Lister says her business would be "dead in the water" if the ban goes ahead.
Mr Hargraves says it is regretful that a ban would mean a loss in revenue for some businesses.
"We regret the loss of business for those people who look forward to this particular weekend in the wholesale department. But there are an enormous amount of people who already have employment somewhere else who set up temporarily and make a bit of a windfall on this particular weekend," he said.
"Quite frankly I don't think the life of an animal is worth that particular profit."
The fireworks can be set-off on the Saturday and Sunday evening before 9:00pm AEST.
The Government has been threatening to introduce a ban for more than five years.
Industrial Relations Minister John Hargreaves says last year's festivities resulted in 510 complaints to the Government as well as 17 fires and nine dog deaths.
He says he has made a submission to cabinet to make the fireworks evenings illegal. Ministers will vote on the issue later this month.
"The general public are very well behaved on 'cracker night' ... but there is an element of the community who are not," he said.
"One of the concerns that we have is that the fireworks are sometimes let off before the weekend and certainly for a number of weekends after - and that's illegal."
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says he will not pre-empt cabinet's decision but the Government is keeping the community mood in mind.
"We're aware of the incrementally growing opposition to fireworks," he said.
Liberal leader Zed Seselja says it is a difficult issue.
"I think the community's split on this, there are very strong views both sides," he said.
He says the Opposition is yet to settle its position on the matter.
Mr Hargreaves says he has wanted a ban some time.
"My patience ran out 10 years ago when my pet had fireworks strapped to his belly and he was set on fire by people," he said.
"My daughter rescued him and doused the flames on his back. He was a three-month-old kitten."
But says he is supportive of planned fireworks displays like Skyfire.
"Those ones you know that they will be let off between certain hours and that's all. So you can make provisions for your pets," he said.
"But you can't do that if people can let them off between say 5pm and 9pm twice on a weekend - but we know that for the next couple of weeks they're going off randomly in the suburbs."
'Detrimental effects'
The RSPCA has also been calling for a ban on backyard fireworks.
CEO Michael Linke says they have already received complaints ahead of the weekend.
"There were fireworks off at Narrabundah last night. So you can't even buy fireworks yet, it's not even the Queen's Birthday weekend and people are already breaking the law," he said.
"This is where it is unfair and unreasonable to expect pet owners - for a two or three week period - to manage their animals in a different way and not know when firework activity is going on."
Mr Linke says it is not about banning 'fun'.
"In the major states it was banned 25, 30, 35 years ago so I don't think it's to do with the 'fun police' or banning fun," he said.
"This is an activity that has been banned everywhere else, there is no positive benefit for it, it has detrimental affects - animals die, animals are lost."
Lost business
Fireworks supplier Ruth Lister says her business would be "dead in the water" if the ban goes ahead.
Mr Hargraves says it is regretful that a ban would mean a loss in revenue for some businesses.
"We regret the loss of business for those people who look forward to this particular weekend in the wholesale department. But there are an enormous amount of people who already have employment somewhere else who set up temporarily and make a bit of a windfall on this particular weekend," he said.
"Quite frankly I don't think the life of an animal is worth that particular profit."
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