Lady Gaga set to open the 2012 Canberra Fireworks season

The cost of fireworks in Canberra could go through the roof if newly proposed taxes are introduced.

Local lobby group, Australian Dogs Are People Too (ADAPT), want the ACT Government to put a tax on fireworks to compensate owners who have to bring their dogs inside during fireworks events.

In an exclusive interview, Gary Pun from ADAPT said, “Dogs often go crazy when fireworks go off, and owners have to take the time to bring them inside the house. We think it’s only fair for those owners to be compensated somehow.”

“If this tax was applied to the sale of fireworks, the revenue raised could be put towards an ‘earplugs for dogs’ fund, or possibly some kind of early warning text messaging system where dog owners could be automatically notified of any impending fireworks within a 2 kilometre radius. I imagine this would be relatively simple to implement.”

George Thai from local fireworks outlet Double Bunga Fireworks referred to the proposed law as “just flaming silly”.

Canberra is one of the few places in Australia where it is legal to purchase fireworks during one day of the year provided you have a fireworks permit, an ACT Gold drivers license, are aged between 24 and 55, and have no outstanding parking tickets, cannabis infringements or arrest warrants.