Western Victoria Region
Mr MEDDICK (Western Victoria) (12:43): (1962) My question is for the Minister for Agriculture and concerns the Geelong Animal Welfare Society. GAWS has been the sole provider of shelter services in the Geelong region for decades and has been receiving animals from some surrounding LGAs for the same period. They have consistently been awarded the contract to provide these services. They have relied upon public generosity to stay afloat, and I have consistently lobbied the City of Greater Geelong for more funding for years, to no avail, even though the revenue from registrations far exceeds the money they provide to run the service. Now GAWS are in trouble. Without immediate financial support they may have to close their doors by Christmas, creating not just a black hole in terms of service provided but an animal emergency to find somewhere for the animals they have in care to go. Will the minister assist in any way possible and save GAWS?