Page 3883 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 30 November 2021
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climate. We need to be careful with our water and we need to make long-term decisions about how we use this precious resource. We need to care for our environment for the future, not through the lens of the past.
The upkeep costs on those 31 ovals also massively increased during that millennium drought. This meant it was also financially unsustainable to put a huge volume of water into 31 ovals. It would cost over $1 million per oval to turn those dryland ovals back into irrigated sporting fields, along with the ongoing maintenance and water costs. It would be irresponsible to spend tens of millions of dollars upfront, plus ongoing costs, to return them to what they once were, knowing that we would only have to wait until the next big drought before taking the same tough decision to turn them off again.
A green space is incredibly important for our community and for our environment. It offsets the heat island effect, and we know that is only going to get worse with climate change. It provides a retreat from the urban environment. It gives people somewhere to connect and play. We need responsible long-term planning that preserves our local green spaces and gives the community a real voice in how they are used.
Next year, the ACT government is developing a management plan for urban open spaces across the territory. If my motion passes, this plan will include a discussion on dryland ovals. That process provides an excellent opportunity for members of our community to have their say and ensure that these important community resources are given priority in the review. From the number of people who raised this issue with me, I know that there will be enthusiastic participation. The ACT Greens believe in neighbourhood democracy, and in fact we ran this as part of our 2020 election platform. The community knows best what its local neighbourhood needs. A good process to gather those ideas and facilitate group discussion is the best way to get a good outcome. We want to create a government that listens, respects and trusts the community voice and that has the skills and desire to turn this voice into tangible changes that people can see right in their own neighbourhoods.
I would like to thank the Florey Primary School and Florey community in particular for their patience. They are the front runners on this project. They have been working with the government and Minister Berry for a couple of years on the future of their oval. I knew it was a great time to start a conversation about dryland ovals when so many members from the Florey community provided ideas about how we could better use that space. And it was not a one-way conversation about whether we should turn the taps back on and irrigate; it was a really creative and wide set of ideas, with so much enthusiasm for what we could grow that would suit our changing climate. I am pleased to say the world has moved on from denial—Canberrans certainly have—and that we are ready to talk about what will work in the new environment. I would particularly like to thank Gay and Greg in Florey; they have been tireless advocates. I applaud all participants for their effort and vision and their cooperative community outlook.
Now, COVID has meant that we are all exploring our neighbourhoods more than ever. We are all suddenly in love with the hyperlocal. In my street we have hung tyre swings, we have made a mini golf course and we have had treasure hunts. That story
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