Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to share with the House some of the outstanding work done by an environmental organisation in Bonner—Ocean Crusaders, who have removed more than 46 tonnes of marine debris this year alone. I was very pleased to deliver a $20,000 grant to help Ocean Crusaders run programs to clean up our local waterways. Just last week, they held a Bulimba Creek clean-up event and removed nearly three tonnes of rubbish—what an outstanding effort! Earlier this year, assistant minister Trevor Evans and I joined Ocean Crusaders for Clean Up Australia Day. We worked alongside dozens of volunteers, boaties and kayakers to remove a further 2.5 tonnes of rubbish from our waterways that otherwise would have ended up in our beautiful Moreton Bay.

Another clean-up event along Breakfast Creek in late April resulted in a further 800 kilograms of debris removed from the back of mangroves. It's muddy, wet and often exhausting work, but the amazing team at Ocean Crusaders, led by Ian Thomson and flanked by dozens of volunteers, is making a huge difference to our waterways. From old bicycles, tyres and plastic bottles to discarded fishing lines and more, the team at Ocean Crusaders have seen it all. Without the selfless efforts of this environmental organisation, more than 46 tonnes of rubbish would have ended up in Moreton Bay, home to an abundance of fish, dolphins, turtles, dugongs and, occasionally, whales. It's heartbreaking to discover a dead turtle and find out that it was rubbish and plastic that killed it.

In my electorate of Bonner, we are so proud of our pristine Moreton Bay, loved by boaties and fishermen. As a community, we need to do everything that we can to protect our marine life and waterways. Australians love the great outdoors. We love the water and it's our job to protect it. I was so proud to deliver funding through the Communities Environment Program to help the team at Ocean Crusaders continue the great work that they do. Large-scale waterway cleaning is a tough job, and I commend the team for their passion and commitment to healthy waterways. Bulimba Creek, Moreton Bay and my Bonner electorate are all the better for it.

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