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

Since 1985 the Bassendean Preservation Group has been at the head of efforts to preserve, protect and rejuvenate the Ashfield Flats. They have long understood that this is a critical area, over 40 hectares, of ecological and cultural significance. They, together with local member Dave Kelly and the town of Bassendean, have worked to create an incredibly strong business case master plan for the area that understands the need for fencing to protect endangered saltmarsh species, weed control and monitoring of the flora and soil and water quality, and even creating paths to ensure that people can activate and utilise the space without damaging the native flora and fauna.

The master plan can't just sit on the shelf, though. Thanks to the Labor government—we believe in the value of wetlands like the Ashfield Flats—the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program was established, which conserves exactly this type of area and improves the quality and health of our urban waterways. I was super pleased to be able to announce that this local and committed group of volunteers together with the council will be receiving just shy of $2 million for the management plan of the Ashfield Flats. It's a significant achievement for this group, and I'm really excited to get out there and see them start to work on and restore that area.

Also, over in Lockridge, there's an area that many in the community probably weren't aware even existed, and that's Grogan Swamp. I had to go and bush-bash my way in to find it myself! It's really in great need of restoration. There are weeds everywhere. It's a significant ecological site and an area of cultural significance as well. For thousands of years, the Bennett Brook, or Korndiny Karla Boodja, a major tributary of the Swan River, or the Derbal Yaragan, has been a place for local Indigenous people for hunting, gathering and camping, and it's home to native fish species, long-necked turtles and freshwater mussels. This area, for scale, is not dissimilar to a major popular area called Lake Monger, which is fully accessible and utilised by its whole community. I'm really pleased that, under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, the Labor government has committed $1.7 million to the Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation to work with our universities and local leaders to restore this incredible area. I'm looking forward to seeing what they achieve. The work is going to be significant, and it will create fabulous opportunities to incorporate traditional land management practices together with modern science.