Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (20:00) — My adjournment matter is really for a number of ministers but I will direct it to the Minister for Local Government, and it is in regard to funding for improvements to All Nations Park in Northcote, which I know the minister is familiar with, and I know my colleague Mr Ondarchie has also raised this issue as a constituency question. It is a real issue. This is a wonderful park that actually has all nations of people going there, and every single range of dog that you could ever imagine visits All Nations Park.
But unfortunately the park has incredibly inadequate lighting, fencing and signage. This means that if you are a person who likes to walk and exercise after 5.00 p.m., this park is not safe. That means that certainly women in the area and women who own dogs are not comfortable taking their dogs to that park after dark, because of the lack of lighting in the area. But not only that, there is also a lack of fencing. At All Nations Park we have a so called off leash area, but you actually would not want to let your dog off leash because there is no fence to stop it from chasing a ball onto the road.
It is a wonderful park and a wonderful facility. It is big, it is spacious, it is friendly and there is a real community down there of not only lovely people but also lovely Dalmatians, lovely Old English sheepdogs and lovely rough collies. It is absolutely delightful. I would encourage all members to come down and visit this lovely place.
But as I say, the action I am seeking from the minister is for her to assist us in providing improved lighting around the off leash area at All Nations Park, improve fencing along Brickworks Lane and actually improve signage just to let road users know that there could be a Dalmatian running out onto the street chasing a ball, they might see an Old English sheepdog out there and they may also see children. It is a wonderful place, and we need to be more active, as we should be. But given that our restricted hours mean that quite often we have to be active in the winter dark hours, we do need greater lighting, we need greater signage and we need greater fencing at All Nations Park. I ask the minister to assist in that.