Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not only is Mallee the biggest electorate in Victoria; it is the most fun. Over the weekend I had to go to the Australian vanilla slice competition and, as their local representative, had to partake in much vanilla slice. I then had to go to the Almond Blossom Festival in Robinvale. Whilst I was there, a person by the name of Leigh Donovan came and said something to me which I think is a very good suggestion. He talked about how he hopped in a tinnie and went 600 kilometres down the mighty Murray River. As he went down in the tinnie, he was shocked at the amount of rubbish that has been left behind. I saw this when I visited a Green Army project where they were cleaning up things on the Murray River, and there was a couch; someone had left a couch behind. I just want to say that this is deplorable. We have such great natural resources in Australia. We should look after them and we should value them. So today I have written a letter to the Standing Committee on the Environment, which I am a member of. I have also written to the Minister for the Environment saying that there is value in another re-education campaign. We value our regional assets and our beautiful environment, but we want to make sure that all Australians can go there and enjoy it. But take your rubbish home. Do not leave a couch behind. Do not leave an old mattress behind. Bury your toilet paper—take a shovel. Get the whole nature experience! We want to make sure that our environmental assets are looked after. I hope that the environment minister will take up the suggestion of an education campaign.