Page 1992 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2022
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and reduce violence. I thank all of the directorates and my office for their work on this bill, and thank you for the support of everybody who has spoken in this chamber, particularly Mrs Kikkert. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Environment—improving biological diversity
MS VASSAROTTI (Kurrajong—Minister for the Environment, Minister for Heritage, Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services and Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction) (4.49): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes that:
(a) 22 May is the International Day of Biological Diversity, with the theme in 2022 being “building a shared future for all life”;
(b) this fits within the context of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for people and for nature;
(c) only with healthy ecosystems can we enhance people’s livelihoods, counteract climate change, and stop the collapse of biodiversity; and
(d) Canberra is a growing city with commitments to urban consolidation, with 70 percent of new housing developments to be within Canberra’s existing urban footprint. While it has unique wildlife and rich natural assets, there are currently 53 species and three ecological communities listed as threatened under the Nature Conservation Act 2014, highlighting the importance of maintaining our urban habitat;
(2) acknowledges the significant work of the ACT Government to:
(a) reform the ACT planning system to ensure we have the best tools to plan where people will live, how they will move around, how the natural environment will be protected and how our city will be resilient to the impacts of climate change;
(b) protect and grow a resilient urban forest through the Urban Forest Strategy;
(c) protect nature through the Nature Conservation Strategy;
(d) maintain and improve living infrastructure in Canberra to cool our city as the climate warms through the Living Infrastructure Plan; and
(e) reflect the key role of our natural environment in shaping the wellbeing of Canberrans, through the ACT Wellbeing Framework, which has indicators covering access to green spaces, tree canopy cover, and the quality of our air, water, and biodiversity health;
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