Page 561 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 February 2020
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I turn now to my adjournment contribution. Good habits that are formed early last a lifetime, and it is never too early to learn. Telopea Park School and the Wattle Early Childhood Centre, both schools in my electorate of Kurrajong, are embarking on some fantastic initiatives and have been rewarded with a Woolworths junior Landcare grant. Telopea school has been awarded a grant of $992.42 to establish a healthy community garden, while the Wattle Early Childhood Centre was awarded a grant of $914.14 to help the school fight food waste.
Woolworths partnered with Landcare Australia in 2018 to launch the Woolworths junior Landcare grants program. This program provides primary schools, early learning centres and eligible community organisations with grants of up to $1,000 for environmental projects. The purpose of the program is to:
Inspire children to learn in a practical manner about sustainable food production, waste management and ways of enhancing biodiversity and habitats.
I have had the opportunity to visit schools in the territory. On more than one occasion I have been impressed with the commitment to foster good attitudes and habits on sustainable practices in our future generation. More than one school has a community garden where students can grow their own vegetables and herbs, which are used in cooking classes, with the excess fed to resident animals or made into mulch. More than one school has a program of no waste when it comes to school lunches to raise awareness about food waste.
The Canberra Liberals value the importance of grassroots programs and initiatives that promote and foster our responsibility in looking after our environment, and that is why we announced a $1.52 million funding guarantee for our Landcare ACT catchment groups to support them to do what they do best. When big corporations like Woolworths get on board with programs like this, their involvement does bring some serious dollars and backing. It is clearly an issue that is of great importance to our entire community.
I commend Woolworths on this initiative. I applaud the enthusiasm and commitment of the teachers and school communities at both Telopea and Wattle Early Childhood Centre in applying for these grants, and I congratulate them for their dedication to looking after our environment.
Mr Dennis Deane—tribute
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (6.40): I rise to pay tribute to the late Dennis Deane, who passed away on 12 February at the Gold Coast. He lost his battle with cancer. Dennis ran a very successful bus and coach company, Deane’s Transit Group, including Deane’s Bus Lines and Transborder Express.
Through his business he made an enormous contribution to Queanbeyan, Canberra and the region. The Deane’s brand was a household name throughout this city. So many of us have memories of catching a Deane’s bus on a school excursion to or from Canberra stadium, travelling to Queanbeyan, a daytrip to the snow or on a charter. Today, under the brands Qcity Transit and Transborder, the business continues.
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