The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: I rise to thank those members who have made a contribution: the Hon. Mira El Dannawi, the Hon. Sarah Game, the Hon. Ben Hood, and the Hon. Nicola Centofanti. Thank you for your contributions to this debate.
I welcome the government's support for a referral of this inquiry to the Natural Resources Committee, noting that I am actually a member of that committee and so certainly look forward to exploring some of the intricate aspects of the debate. I would note that in New South Wales a similar inquiry blasted out of the water many of the assumptions made generally by the population and exposed a lack of science and rigour to some of those assumptions.
Having an inquiry will enable this parliament to hear all sides of the debate, the diversity of voices and also for the first time, I believe, hear from those wildlife rescuers and carers and consider their needs as well as part of this conversation. I hope that it will be a productive committee and that the report will be something that informs better practice moving forward.
I want to particularly thank all of those who have supported the inquiry with emails and letters to members of parliament. As members here know, we had a meet the joeys and carers event last sitting week in the old chamber, perhaps the first time we have had kangaroos in this parliament that were not on the menu.
The love-hate relationship that Australians have with what is one of our national icons is something that is often a vexed debate. I think tonight it has been a reasonably respectful debate, and I am sure that the Natural Resources Committee will also be a very respectful and diverse forum, with the expertise of not just the witnesses and submissions we will take but, of course, the research team on that committee that will hopefully inform better practice in the future. With that, I commend the motion.
Amendment carried; motion as amended carried