O'Connor Damien: Local Government Law Reform Bill — In Committee 
O'Connor Damien: Local Government Law Reform Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:632;Page:3738] 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister for Rural Affairs) 
: 
 I cannot honestly support any amendments put up by the National Party because I do not believe its members are genuine in their support of the intent of this bill. They were back in 2002 when they understood what we were trying to do. This legislation will not solve the problem of dogs savaging people; it is however the best intent of this Parliament at this point in time to move ahead in this very complex area. The previous speaker referred to the “simple” process of dog registration—the simple process that sees 30 percent of the dogs in this country not registered. Well that is not simple enough I would suggest. 
The other issue is cost. I understand that it costs from $12 up to $200 to register a dog. That is no small fee for many people. The cost of a microchip is negligible. In relation to the issues raised about cost by members on the other side of the Chamber I say that as we have seen in every area of technology the costs will come down particularly as the volumes go up. I would expect that we will be paying no more than $5 for a chip. Yes there will be a cost for putting it in place but I would suggest that in the future the microchipping of dogs will be a replacement for registration. It will be an accurate way of identifying a dog for life. 
At the moment on farms we have electronic means of identifying cows as they run through a race—the implant of an electronic tag that can or cannot fall out. It can accurately identify an animal and the farmer with the use of technology can tell where that animal should be and which animal it is. I suggest that it will not be too far into the future—when this bill is passed—that a simple cost for most councils will allow them to identify accurately from a distance whether a dog is microchipped. 
Eric Roy 
: That’s not a microchip! 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: Oh the members—the Neanderthals over there—think that that cannot be done. Well I suggest that as has happened for many years now with technology and improving focus we can do anything if we want. But what I feel really sad about in this whole debate is that both the National Party and the Green Party have fallen in. 
I have to say that it has been an odd debate to have the Green Party and the National Party cuddling up for quite different philosophical reasons but for one main reason—political opportunism. I feel quite sad because I am a passionate advocate for farmers and for rural communities but National members aided and assisted by a few people at the top of Federated Farmers have gone around and stirred up everyone. 
I would like to see Federated Farmers led in a way that focuses them on the real issues—issues like farm safety. We are killing more farmers in this country every year because of a lack of leadership—that is what I put to members. There is not enough focus on farm safety because National members and the members of Federated Farmers are running around talking about microchipping. Well let us get on to the real issues. What is happening about the restructuring in the dairy industry? What is happening about the wool industry? What are Federated Farmers saying about those issues? If they would get off their butts and focus on the real issues instead of on microchipping—a cheap political opportunity—they would have the opportunity to assist in reducing the number of horrific attacks on people be they 12 13 or 14; 17 or 18; or whatever the age I tell Mr Roy. 
There are horrific attacks by dogs on people and we are trying to do our best to reduce them. We are also trying to assist the farming community by reducing the attacks on farm animals because with technology and microchipping we will be able to identify whether a dog is microchipped. I put to members that as we start with new pups on 1 July—and some farmers do not realise that fact—and as we move into a position of assuming that all dogs will be microchipped any dog that is not should be destroyed on the spot. End of story!