Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I congratulate you, Deputy Speaker Claydon, on your new position. I rise today to inform the House of a passionate community volunteer group in my electorate of Hasluck: Save Perth Hills. Save Perth Hills are absolutely committed to fighting for their local community, the environment and the many species that inhabit the region.

Of particular concern to Save Perth Hills is the proposed North Stoneville development. This proposed development has been rejected by the Shire of Mundaring, by the WA Planning Commission and, importantly, by our community. In my view, the shire and the WAPC made the right decision, and I congratulate and support the contributions Save Perth Hills made to secure this outcome for our community.

The decisions on planning and development are primarily for the state government, but where the federal government can act, I want to restate my commitment to advocate for my community and to ensure that local voices are heard on these issues. This government has already demonstrated a desire to strengthen protections for our natural environment and to act on climate change. As my colleague the Minister for the Environment and Water outlined in her speech to the National Press Club, we will be guided by three goals in relation to the environment—to protect, to restore and to manage. This includes reform of our environment laws and the empowerment of a new environmental regulation agency to enforce them.