Showing posts with label ban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ban. Show all posts

Dogs of Non-restricted Breeds Also Bite

Western Australia reacted to attacks by dogs on children. A few years ago legislation was passed to not only muzzle but also sterilize American Pit Bulls, Mastiffs and Japaneses Tosas.

Since then there has not been a major decline in the numbers of these breeds. The legislation has not worked out as intended. President of the RSPCA, Hugh Wirth, says breeding of "dangerous" dogs has gone underground.

Dr Kersti Seksei of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) makes the point that dogs of any breed can and do bite people. It is usually the case that household pets bite members of the family. The AVA suggests testing of dog temperament when they are sold. This would be difficult to police because most cross breed puppies are sold privately.

Dogs follow their owners' behavior. Dangerous dogs are created, not born. That is why police dogs are always muzzled in public: they are trained to be dangerous.
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Society

Future Fund Invests in Tobacco

Hypocrisy reigns. The Australian Government is bringing in extremely tough smoking laws, yet investment in tobacco companies is seen to be alright.

In 2006 the then Coalition Government set up a future fund. Its goals were to fund future costs of pensions for public servants, judges and so on. A look at the books as shown that the fund's managers deem holding shares in 14 tobacco companies to be a good thing. They obviously don't think the Government's actions to ban tobacco firms from putting their name on cigarette packets will lead to a fall in profit nor affect secure future operations.

Tobacco investment is only 0.5 per cent of total investment. However, it is unethical and it goes against Government policy. While making the highest return is written into fund guidelines, the body is supposed to be monitored by the Treasurer. There seems to be a difference of opinion between the Prime Minister and Treasurer. The Prime Minister fully supports the name and logo ban initiative, but the Treasurer said, "...the Future Fund takes its investment decisions at arms length of the government."
~~~~~Politics~~~~~
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