A parliamentary question regarding eagles is answered with a humorous and evasive response, referencing a sporting contest between the West Coast Eagles (an AFL team) and the Sydney Swans. The minister avoids providing any actual information about eagles as birds of prey.

AnsweredQoN 867Legislative Council
Asked
28 September 2006
Portfolio
Agriculture and Food

QuestionView source ↗

BIRDS OF PREY
I refer to any knowledge the minister has of eagles. (1) What flight path do they take? (2) What condition are they in when they land? (3) Are they stronger than swans? Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
(1) What flight path do they take? (2) What condition are they in when they land? (3) Are they stronger than swans? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
(2) What condition are they in when they land? (3) Are they stronger than swans? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
(3) Are they stronger than swans? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
I thank the honourable member for the question. (1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
(1)-(3) There was a time when eagles were thought to be a threatened species in Western Australia after a rash of mostly purple, green, red and white colours began to appear all over Western Australia.  However, it seems that the eagle has made a recovery.  There is an interesting experiment in Melbourne, I understand, on Saturday, when eagles and swans will be flying together. Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
Hon Simon O’Brien :  Does the government have observers in situ to give us a detailed report? Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.
Hon KIM CHANCE :  I am glad the honourable member asked that.  Indeed, there are a small number of cabinet members including the Premier who, being in the area at the time, will be observing the contest between the swans and the eagles.  I listened to comments by a Mr McKenna this morning on the radio, who, I believe, is somewhat knowledgeable about the Eagles, and he said that his heart tells him that eagles could prevail, but his head tells him it could be 50-50.  That is about as good as I can give the member, I am afraid.

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