Page 4127 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 18 November 2015
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What we also talked about in Mr Rattenbury’s comments was the use of volunteers. There are many fantastic Landcare groups, friends of parklands groups and friends of grasslands groups. They are doing fantastic work throughout our urban, suburban and rural environment. There are a number of those groups. But I think they are feeling a bit betrayed. Their goodwill is being used to undertake weed removal projects. It happens all the time. Every day it seems as though there are groups out there undertaking weeding activities. Jerrabomberra wetlands is an example where volunteers go out and remove weeds. From what I hear, they feel a bit let down by the government’s response. The government is, if you like, putting more and more pressure on those volunteer groups to undertake weed removal.
It is interesting that the environment directorate gives out grants for weed removal to some of those volunteer groups. Obviously the department itself is not able to keep up with the demand for weed removal. Some of the funding given to groups this year includes money to undertake woody weed removal and landscape restoration or to restore threatened natural grasslands. It is a bit of money over here and a bit of money over there. Perhaps one directorate does not know what the other one is doing. That is why in the past the Canberra Liberals have called for an integrated single nature conservation agency. Volunteers are enthusiastic; they are involved. It is important that we recognise the fantastic work the volunteers do, but the government must also play their part.
I have talked already about Lake Tuggeranong and what I believe is African lovegrass down there. I know that when I drive around down Long Gully Road near the Mugga Lane tip at a certain time of year the hills are ablaze with colour from St John’s wort. Obviously weeds are getting out of control in the ACT. We have an overall cut to the budget for weeds management, despite an increase to the recurrent funding, despite growing concerns about weeds such as Chilean fireweed, African lovegrass and St John’s wort. Blackberry is another one that we see all over our town. We need to focus on controlling these major weeds in the ACT.
I have had a number of constituents contact me. They have contacted the department, either through fix my street or through other methods, about other weeds in the ACT and have been told by park rangers and other people that they do not have a budget to control those weeds and they will have to do it themselves. That is a real problem for us.
We feel that the original motion is quite straightforward. It is quite reasonable. It calls on the government to reinstate the weed management funding that was cut in the 2015-16 budget. Patently we are not doing enough to control weeds in the ACT. The motion calls on the government to reinstate meetings of the ACT Weeds Advisory Group: twice a year has not quite been met yet this year and appears to be a drop from previous years. And it calls on the government to report back to the Assembly in February 2016. I think the points made in the motion are quite reasonable, and they stand. For that reason, we will not be supporting Mr Rattenbury’s amendment.
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