Page 2904 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 14 August 2018
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Finally, I make special mention of two hardworking Canberrans, Philip Ahn and Hun-Jae Jung. Without their blood, sweat and tears, I am sure the forum would not have been the success that it was. Congratulations. I look forward to seeing the AFKC grow and contribute to the future of Canberra and Australia.
Australian Federation of Korean Communities
Lyneham Commons
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Community Services and Social Inclusion, Minister for Disability, Children and Youth, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations) (5.52): I thank Ms Lee for her mention; the Australian Federation of Korean Communities forum was a very enjoyable event. I congratulate the organisers on a fabulous effort in such a short space of time.
I recently had the pleasure of attending the third birthday celebration of the Lyneham Commons. The community braved pretty typical Canberra weather for 15 July to come together and be part of the birthday celebrations with live music, food stalls, children’s activities, and a range of other stalls and activities celebrating nature and community in our beautiful city.
Whether with packed picnics, purchased treats or foraged goods, neighbours came together and celebrated the commons and the community it has created. Even though I arrived towards the end of the event, and missed out on the birthday cake, there were plenty of people enjoying the atmosphere and learning more about the commons. Simple but fun activities for the kids included a maze to wind one’s way through, and a massive pile of leaves to jump into, a great example of nature play.
As members would be aware, the Lyneham Commons food forest is an initiative that has been led and managed by the local community. Three years ago a small group of passionate and motivated local residents, working with the government, managed to turn an underutilised parcel of land next to the bikepath between Lyneham High School and Lyneham Primary School into a garden and food forest, a place for the local community to grow its own food and share its gardening knowledge. When this initiative was established in 2015, it was described by gardening guru Costa Georgiadis as a project of national significance.
Lyneham Commons has grown to become one of Canberra’s most successful examples of urban food production. By employing sustainable, organic gardening methods and permaculture principles, the self-titled commoners aim to reduce agricultural impact, improve food security, and provide education and healthy food for the community. Through its monthly working bees, the commons helps to build connections within the community and provide meaningful engagement for any local residents who come along to participate.
The various patches and plots are filled with seasonal vegies and fruits—flowering artichokes, zucchinis, rocket, raspberries, tomatoes, herbs and nuts—and orchard trees, including cherries, apples, figs, plums and mulberry trees. By planting and
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