Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham, representing the Minister for the Environment. Can the minister update the Senate on the progress of the government's Green Army Program?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As Senator Abetz was saying before, there are many things this government is on about and focused on, like ensuring that we create more opportunities for young people, more opportunities for them to get training and experience and more opportunities for them to contribute to the environment. These are indeed things that this government wants to achieve. I know that Senator Lindgren as a former teacher is very focused on opportunities for young people, especially in the state of Queensland, and I value her interest in the Green Army Program, as does Minister Hunt.

The Green Army Program is providing valuable opportunities for 17- to 24-year-old Australians to get real, on-the-ground training and experience for up to six months while delivering practical environmental programs. It is proving to be a huge success, with more than 700 projects announced since the Green Army was launched and more than 350 projects rolled out or being rolled out around Australia.

Round 4 applications for the Green Army are now open, and the government is encouraging projects that focus on preservation of our heritage; protection of the Great Barrier Reef; protection of threatened species, aligning with our efforts in the threatened species recovery strategy; and protection of remote and Indigenous projects in particular. For the first time the government has combined the 20 Million Trees small grants round with a Green Army round, so that community groups can apply for up to three Green Army teams to assist with their planting efforts.

This is making a significant difference to young people and the environment right around Australia, but particularly in Senator Lindgren's home state of Queensland.

Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate what benefits this program is having on the local environment?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Green Army Program has many benefits to the local environment. It has many diverse benefits, such as: propagating and planting of native seedlings; weed control; revegetation and regeneration of local parks; habitat protection and restoration; improving water quality by cleaning up waterways; creek bank, foreshore and beach restoration; revegetation of sand dunes and mangroves; constructing walking tracks to protect local wildlife; and cultural heritage conservation. We have more than 240 teams on the ground, and that is close to some 2,000 young people working on environmental projects.

In Senator Lindgren's home state of Queensland, there are around 57 projects on the ground at present. These are helping to improve water quality on the Great Barrier Reef, helping fire recovery on North Stradbroke Island and helping rehabilitation of cassowary corridors at Mission Beach—and the Brisbane river restoration projects.

All of the projects are delivering practical environmental benefits in the state of Queensland and right around Australia—mobilising young people to do so.

Jo Lindgren (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate how the Green Army is benefiting young people taking part in the program?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Young people aged 17 to 24 participating in the Green Army Program enjoy the opportunity to participate and contribute to environmental projects they are often passionate about, and to get real work and training experience whilst doing so. They receive practical skills, training and contacts that can help them through the rest of their lives.

The feedback from many of them is extremely encouraging. James Cooper, from Kawana in Queensland, says: 'When I finish Green Army I hope to become a park ranger. I'm sure the Green Army would help get me there.' Kristal, from Boroondara in Victoria, says, 'Local to home, hands on experience, being outside, learning about all the different plant species.' She recognises the real benefit that it is delivering. Clare from Horsham in Victoria says, 'You get a lot of knowledge out of it, and I think it is a good starting point to start a career in conservation.' These are young people who recognise that this can give them a helping hand—to start in life, to contribute to the environment, as a career or throughout their lives, in any way possible. (Time expired)