Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I would like to announce that there are 13 new Green Army projects that are going to be rolled out across the Northern Rivers and the Clarence Valley. This is in line the four that we already have running from the first round, so there is going to be a total of 17 projects rolling out across the community. This means that Page has one of the highest number of Green Army projects in Australia, and I congratulate all the people that have tendered for those and got those projects up and running.

As we know, the Green Army projects provide opportunities for young Australians between the ages of 17 and 24 years to gain training and experience in environmental projects, in the conservation and environmental fields and in conservation management, whilst participating in projects that generate a real change in our environment.

I would just like to touch on where a few of these projects are. We have two biodiversity projects in the Big Scrub—stages 3 and 4; there are two running for koala habitat restoration within the Lismore LGA; there is the Richmond River riparian restoration project; there are two conservation and vegetation restorations in the Clarence Valley; there is coastal corridor enhancement going on; there is rainforest and river restorations—three stages of those that are going to happen; and other coastal corridor enhancements.

I commend the people involved in this project, the skills they are learning and the minister involved.

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