Page 543 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 23 March 2022
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stormwater, and urban forests that provide food for our birds and bees and shade for our people. It is a continual process of learning and growing, adapting and changing. I have been lucky to attend information sessions on micro-forests and I have learned so much about all the different types of habitats we can have and all the different types of plantings that we have a place for here.
Rewilding is also looking at using innovation in a nature-based solution to help improve our city. I am looking forward to hearing the outcomes of our water-sensitive urban design trail at my local shops in Jamison, which will improve the tree health and growth in our car park and will just make it a little bit cooler. It is also providing some benefits for local birds and wildlife.
I am most moved by the work of our local volunteers when they are looking after the places that they love. I am looking forward to hearing from the local groups in our current environmental volunteerism committee inquiry. I think we will find out some really good ways that the government can help people and, again, get out of their way when they need us to get out of the way.
We are pretty lucky, here in the ACT, to live in this bush capital. I am really pleased to see that we have a number of steps in our parliamentary and governing agreement to try and protect it, including better funding for our parks and conservation and better management of our Canberra Nature Park and Namadgi National Park. We have increased funding for weeds and invasive species management. We have increased funding for local environmental groups. We have also launched our cat containment plan and the new cat plan around the ACT.
I am also pleased to see that we are taking new steps, like introducing and considering a right to a healthy environment into our Human Rights Act. World Rewilding Day was launched for the first time last year by the Global Rewilding Alliance. I really look forward to watching rewilding grow and become more popular as the rewilded areas themselves grow and become more popular.
Harmony Week
MR CAIN (Ginninderra) (4.16): As members would be aware, this week, 21 to 27 March, is Harmony Week, with Harmony Day being Monday, 21 March. The theme of Harmony Week—this is something that is encouraged by the Australian government as well as, I believe, all the jurisdictions—is that everybody belongs. Another theme of Harmony Week is a celebration of our country’s, and particularly this city’s, cultural diversity.
I would like to briefly mention two events of personal significance to me, during this period. Firstly, it was an honour to attend last Sunday the ringing of the peace bell. I was able to participate, along with a member from this Assembly, at the Canberra Nara Peace Park. This annual event was organised by the Canberra Multicultural Community Forum, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin and the Canberra Interfaith Forum.
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