Page 3554 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 23 November 2021
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Environment—ACT Landcare
MR CAIN (Ginninderra) (6.00): I will not keep my fellow members for long, while noting that they are not compelled to stay here. I would like to speak very briefly about the delight of being able to get back out into the community. Over the weekend I had that pleasure. On Saturday in particular I was able to join two Landcare events. On Saturday morning I joined the Emu Creek Landcare Group. I joined four other people, and we planted some native flowering plants and shrubs, and undertook some weeding near the Belconnen town centre. I would commit to keeping green spaces available to that densified part of Canberra. We enjoyed a morning tea very kindly put on by the Landcare group convenor. Thank you, John.
That afternoon the Lions Club Croke Place Landcare Group in Evatt celebrated their first anniversary. After hearing about their vision, it was a privilege to plant a tree along Ginninderra Creek. I note that I was joined by member Jo Clay from Ginninderra as well.
This group has started to remove poplar suckers and other exotics along Ginninderra Creek, and hope to steadily remove them all the way from the Lake Ginninderra spillway to the footbridge near Copland Drive, a stretch of about 900 metres. This is a very large but worthy task and will be of great benefit to the increasing number of residents and visitors who traverse the pathway along Ginninderra Creek.
It was really encouraging to see their commitment to planting and protecting native plants, including hoary sunrays and creamy candles. I also heard about their vision for educational and recreational enhancements of some of the green space along the pathway near Ginninderra Creek.
It is always encouraging to see community initiatives in action, to see the volunteer work of members particularly of my electorate, and of Canberra as well. Some of those who attended Evatt on Saturday afternoon were from different parts of Canberra, representing different Lions clubs in Canberra—a great encouragement to see their commitment in their volunteer capacity.
As an aside, gardening is one of my pleasures at home in my own spare time, although that is shorter now over the term of this Assembly. I do consider myself to be lucky that gardening occasionally is part of my work duties.
I want to thank both Landcare groups for their commitment and that of their members, and I will certainly look forward to engaging with them in the future.
Australian Pollinator Week
MS VASSAROTTI (Kurrajong) (6.03): Isn’t it fantastic that in the Assembly we get all of our members so excited about our local environment and getting out into nature? I think that is really exciting. Today I rise to speak about the importance of pollinators. We have just celebrated Australian Pollinator Week. This is an annual event that has happened since November 2015 and it is a designated week when communities, organisations and businesses come together to raise the awareness of
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