Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week is Landcare Week, a week when we celebrate the fantastic work of Landcare groups around the nation. Landcare are a volunteer powered movement who play a vital role in environmental stewardship and come together across the nation to do the practical work to care for our precious environment.

So it was fitting that this morning, to mark this week, I joined the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, and my ACT colleague the member for Fenner at the Jerrabomberra wetlands to make an important announcement of a $3.2 million investment to work with Landcare and the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust to improve the health of ACT waterways. This investment will be delivered in partnership with these groups, and it is part of a funding of $200 million in projects around Australia to help restore and clean up our urban waterways.

The Jerrabomberra wetlands is only about four kilometres from here, and it is an absolutely extraordinary natural place—such an important home for all kinds of wildlife, including the Latham's snipe, a migratory bird that travels all the way from Japan to these wetlands. It just shows you how critically important these natural spaces within urban areas are for our wildlife and broader biodiversity.

I'm so glad that we can partner with Landcare to deliver this program, and I want to thank Karissa Preuss, Maxine Cooper and all the fantastic Landcare volunteers for the critical work they do for our environment.