Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

GILES (—) (): I want to talk about the Peter Hopper Lake, which is at the very centre of Mill Park and at the centre of the Mill Park community. The lake in recent times has fallen into some quite shocking disrepair due to algal blooms, which has meant that the local wildlife have suffered enormously and it hasn't been the focus of recreational activity that the community wants and, indeed, needs to enjoy. It's in the Redleap Recreation Reserve, which has been updated by significant investments, an off-lead dog park and upgrades to the playground. It hasn't been a place where people have been able to enjoy nature and this beautiful lake.

I was so pleased at the last election that Labor committed to restoring the lake. I was even more excited that there was $2 million allocated to this project on 20 July this year through the Labor government's Urban Rivers and Catchments Program. This will enable a partnership with the City of Whittlesea to rebuild the lake, including the complete de-siltation of the lake and installation of stormwater quality improving infrastructure in the form of an inlet-zone sediment pond to capture future sediment, as well as off-line bioretention for continuous water circulation and nutrient reduction to improve the health of the lake, the entire local community and birdlife. People will be able to enjoy this beautiful part of our community.

I give a big shout-out to the Friends of Peter Hopper Lake, particularly Karen, who I have been discussing this issue with for quite some time. If not for their passionate advocacy for community and wildlife, this investment wouldn't have happened. They are a fantastic example of community action partnering with government at various levels to make a real difference. I'm so excited to see work get underway at the lake so that it can again become a hub for people coming together and a place where our native wildlife can again gather safely.

I also want to let the parliament know about an event in my community that's of great concern to me. A few days ago the Syro-Malabar Cultural Centre in Epping was the subject of a break-in. The break-in caused significant loss but also great distress to a fantastic community, who I count as my friends. I reached out to Dr Johnson George to express my concern and my solidarity. I do so in this place too because for a place of worship to be subject to this kind of vandalism and attack is really shocking and instils a sense of fear that is entirely out of place in any of our communities. So in this place I restate my sense of solidarity with everyone in the Syro-Malabar community. I hope that these words give some comfort at a difficult time.

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