SPCA slams govt for fireworks response

The government has decided not to ban the public sale of fireworks, going against the recommendation from Parliament's Petitions Committee. The committee recommended the ban after considering three petitions with close to a hundred-thousand signatures between them. The government response said the ban would directly address risks, but it would also remove access to what it called a "long-standing and widely used lawful activity ... retaining the status quo remains a proportionate response". Dr Arnja Dale, the SPCA's Chief Scientific Officer, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.